Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a one-of-a-kind gift – especially if you’ve made it with your own two hands! So instead of sending your Valentine something bought from your local card shop this year, why not take the time to make your own Valentine’s Day card and get the stamp of approval from your loved one!
Here stamping expert Barbara Gray shares some top tips for creating a bespoke Valentine’s card using the art of stamping!
Step 1 – Lay the foundations
First things first, you need to create the base for your Valentine’s Day card. Start with a piece of plain white or red card that measures approximately 2″ x 6.”
Step 2 – Add a touch of tenderness
Now you can start getting creative by adding pretty patterns and designs. I would suggest using stamps as this is a simple, yet effective way to jazz up your card!
Taking a stamp of your choice – I suggest love hearts or flowers – stamp a pattern around the inside edges of the card to create a fanciful border.
Add some clear embossing powder to each of the stamps and use a heat gun to emboss the patterns, giving them an impressive 3D effect. You can get these tools from Hochanda.com or most local craft shops!
Step 3 – Mark your love
Next, show how much your partner means to you by adding a message of love. A great way to do this is using letter stamps.
Chose a word related to your Valentine – this could be their name or nickname for example – and stamp into the middle of the card. If you want to give your Valentine’s name a 3D effect, add some embossing powder and heat with a heat gun.
Step 4. Take it to the next level
Next, we’re going to fill up all of the open spaces on the card by colouring it in. Use high quality pens or paints with warm and romantic colours – like ivory, rouge and blush – to colour in any gaps between the stamp patterns. For larger spaces I would suggest using thick tipped pens, and for smaller spaces I would use fine nib pens.
Loved Barbara’s stamping tips for Valentine’s? Then you’ll love our craft and hobby TV channel Hochanada, on air with the best crafting advice 24/7. Tune in live via our website! Hochanda.com
You can also tune into Hochanda on Freeview channel 39, Sky channel 663 or Freesat 817.