Odds + Ends = Valentines

These homemade Valentines are easy and inexpensive to make, I might start making all my greeting cards custom. I've paid up to $8.00 for a Papyrus card, shhhhh that's a secret.

Step 1: See what you got. Look through all your odds and ends and see what you can come out with. Red ribbon cut down to hearts= wrapped around Lightning McQueen blankets my kids got for Christmas, Buttons= from my sewing kit, Black ribbon= embellishment from an old coat, Paper= ordinary card stock.

Step 2: Measure and mark 3 1/2 X 5 1/2 on card stock, you will need two pieces for each card. Fold the edges and press into a damp sponge before tearing them apart. This will give you the rugged edge look, or you can scrape the sides perpendicularly with a razor's edge.

Step 3: Using white bobbin thread and which ever top thread color you desire machine stitch only three of the sides. Using a seam guide makes the thread a perfectly straight 3/8 of an inch from the outer edge. Do this to half of the pieces of card stock.

Step 4: Now get creative with what ever you can find. These hearts are approx. 1 3/4 inches wide. Using needle and thread fasten any embellishments to the front of the card starting at 1 inch from the top being sure to keep the side relatively even. Just do what you think looks nice, I tried to keep it clean lined. You could use only one item or fill the whole front.

Step 5: Fill out the sweet lovey dovey messages on the untouched pieces of card stock. Start your message a few inches down to leave room for the binding stitch across the top.

Step 6: Check that your message is facing the correct way and run the same 3/8 in seam across the top connecting the two cards together.

Step 7: Address your envelope stuff it in and warm up some one's Valentines Day. I sent them to my friends, family, kid's teacher, and maybe one to a guy I like...okay 2 guys, jk. I couldn't believe when I came across people sewing through card stock how professional a homemade card could look with such little effort. I'll definitely be making all my holiday cards from here on out.