DIY Valentines

This is my second post today. If you've traveled here from the Practical Scrappers blog, please scroll down to see today's snow themed layout!

It's a new year and time for new challenges at the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog! Woo Hoo! Tracey is hosting the first challenge, and it's to celebrate your new goodies. Show your love for something new to you by combining it with one of your favorites. Whether your paper crafting favorite is a color, tool, or technique, use it to showcase one of those new, never been used items we all have. 

Link up your project to the A Muse Studio Challenge blog by January 26th for your chance to win some great A Muse Studio products. You can find out more here.

When I heard Tracey's challenge to use our new items, I knew exactly what I wanted to do! I picked up some A Muse Studio glassine envelopes a few months ago and hadn't taken them out of the package. With February 14th quickly approaching, today was just the right day to use those envelopes to make some pretty valentines!

My favorite paper crafting technique is paper piecing. I'm a sucker for detail cutting! I started out with a doily and some washi tape from the new Valentine catalog. Next, I stamped the heart, from the Sending My Love set, onto kraft cardstock and patterned paper. After cutting them out, I adhered them to the front of the envelope and added pearls. In the open space on the left hand side, I added the names of the recipients in permanent, acid free marker.  

To coordinate with the CA-UTE envelopes, I created these Valentine cards:

 

I started out with the card base, adding faux stitching with the same permanent marker. After cutting a layer of kraft paper, I added pieces of washi tape and rounded the corners. Of course I had to add the piece of doily I trimmed off the envelopes to the card front. This I Heart You stamp is also from the Sending My Love stamp set. I first stamped it onto white cardstock and then again on patterned paper. I cut out the patterned paper heart and adhered it to the white piece. 

Creating the set of cards and envelopes was fast and easy. You could create a set to give away as a gift or give away individually to those you love. Who says Valentine's Day has to be for couples?! I'm going back to the days of grade school and handing out valentines to all my friends. 

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: A Muse Studio (Sugar, Kraft)

Patterned Paper: BasicGrey (Fiction 12x12 Paper Pack)

Pearls: A Muse Studio (White)

Punch: Martha Stewart Crafts (1-inch Corner Rounder)

Marker: Bic Ultra Fine Acid Free (Black)

Washi Tape: A Muse Studio (Valentine Collection)

Doily: A Muse Studio (4.5 inch)

Envelopes: A Muse Studio (Large Glassine)

*You can find A Muse Studio products in my webstore