By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

There are so many uses for clothes pins from displaying greeting cards and Valentines to hanging up clothes. The only problem is that they’re boring. Decorating them is a great way to bring a little more pizazz into the home and you can even make them themed depending on what you’re using them for. It only takes a few materials and a little time to make any type of themed clothes pins you wish.

What you’ll need:

• Clothes pins
• Decorative paper
• Mod Podge
• Scissors
• Embellishments

Step 1. Cut two strips of paper that are slightly larger than each side of the clothes pin.

Step 2. Put Mod Podge on one side of the clothes pin, then press it down to the paper. Do the same for the other side. Let it dry for at least a couple of hours before moving onto the next step.

Step 3. Use the scissors to carefully trim off the excess paper. Make sure not to cut the clothespin itself.

Step 4. Choose embellishments that match the paper you used. I chose red bows because I loved how it looked combined with the black and white polka dot paper.

Step 5. Use Mod Podge to attach each embellishment to one or both sides. Don’t attach it near the ends of the clothes pin; opt for the center. Press each embellishment down for a few seconds to ensure it sticks, then let it dry for a few hours without moving it.

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and has aspirations to improve her crafting skills. Join Mable on Facebook to socialize and share with other crafters!

Twice a year the Craft & Hobby Association Conference & Trade Show (CHA) is held to discuss, what else, crafts! During the conference we get to see the new products manufacturers have been developing and get a sneak peek of the new designs and ideas. Industry experts come together to discuss trends and promotion of the craft industry. I like seeing all the incredible booths and displays!

At CHA we met the Crochet Dude and Tim Holtz! And our CreateForLess team had dinner with Mark Montano! Mark Montano! He delighted us with us entertaining stories and awesome craft ideas! Can’t wait for your next book Mark!

The Best Booth Award went to the DieCuts with a View & Blue Moon Beads!

The peacock is made with DCWV paper, glitter and lots of glue!

This display was made completely out of Blue Moon Beads.

I want to make this beaded waterfall for my bathroom! Check out more of the DCWV & Blue Moon Beads booth here.

An exciting part was the appearance by Tori Spelling! She is working with Darice on her jewelry making line {Styled} by Tori Spelling. What I loved about this new product line is you can make your own custom jewelry without needing tools or pliers.

You can mix and match the chains, pendants and beads to create and re-create your own designs.

Check out this video to see more of Tori’s designs!

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Whether you want to make Valentine’s Day decor for yourself or to give a loved one, creating a heart candle holder is a great option. The neutral colors also make it ideal regardless of the color scheme in your home. It’s an easy project for any age and it requires spending little money.

What you’ll need:

• Square glass candle holder
• Small round filled glass candle holder
• Small pebbles
• Mod Podge
• Gold or silver glitter glue
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Dictionary pages

Step 1. Choose the pages to cut your hearts from. I opted for antique French dictionary pages. Draw four hearts on the pages, then cut them out.

Step 2. Use the Mod Podge to adhere one heart to each side of the square glass candle holder.

Step 3. Choose a small round glass candle holder that is already filled with a candle, then place it inside the square candle holder.

Step 4. Put small pebbles all around the round candle holder until it reaches almost to the top.

Step 5. Put gold glitter glue along the top edge of the square candle holder, then smooth it out so it’s not a thick layer. Use the glue to make an outline around each heart. Let it dry completely before using.

By DCWV Diary

We can’t forget about Valentines Day! It’s one of my favorite days to craft for. I created a darling decoration this weekend using our Be Mine Stack.

 It is gorgeous and a timeless, classic, gorgeous Valentines line.

 Look how pretty a plaque of wood can be! I found this new easel and have decided to craft something for it for each season. I had my husband cut me a scrap piece of wood leftover from a project. It is about 10 inches wide and 12 inches tall. I painted it and then sanded & stained it.

I used doilies and paper from the Be Mine Stack to make a 3D decoration. I folded the hearts in half and hot glued them down right on the folded part. I hand cut the hearts with pinking sheers because I didn’t want them to be perfect! I love how it turned out. I painted the “love” but you could also add alphabet stickers instead. Something about Valentines and handmade things just make me smile

By General Crafts Contributor Mina, from the blog Mina’s Journal.

Here’s a set of Clever Cats Tags to print and cut out. Use them as gift tags or journal tags in your papercraft projects. Print out a set for that cat lover you know!

Download Clever Cat Tags – White

Ways to Use the Clever Cats Tags

• Gift Tags
• Journal Tags
• Card Toppers
• Book labels
• Scrap pages
• Clip art
• Write your cat’s name on them and stick them to the cat house or cat basket

Download Clever Cat Tags – Black

Just cut and write. Punch a hole to thread string or ribbon through and you’re ready to go!

Download Clever Cat Tags – Black Label

These black tags are for those who want a label for writing on the front of the tag.

Happy Crafting!

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Valentine’s Day flowers are lovely, but they’re also expensive and they die shortly after you buy them. A better option is to make paper flowers for yourself or to give as a gift. However, make small centerpieces instead of making a bouquet. It may sound complicated, but all you need is a little patience and a handful of inexpensive items.

What you’ll need:

• Tissue paper
• Mod Podge
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Short glass jar candle

Step 1. Cut tissue paper into squares. The smaller the squares the smaller the flowers. I cut each square into 5 inch pieces and alternated between using red tissue paper and one that’s heart-patterned.

Step 2. Take each square and fold it into a triangle. Follow that up by folding each triangle in half, then in half again.

Step 3. Hold each triangle so the fold faces to the left, then cut off the top of the triangle so you form a curve at the top.

Step 4. Next, cut off the lower point at a curve.

Step 5. Open up the triangles; each piece should look like a flower that’s missing the center.

Step 6. Make a cut in each piece from the top of the petal to the center so they are no longer solid pieces.

Step 7. You’ll notice the pieces have creased sections which is going to help with gluing the flowers together. Take one section and overlap the two ends until it’s the size you want for the outer layer. Don’t glue the ends down; instead, glue down the second or third section in.

Step 8. Repeat Step 7 for each layer until you get to the center. As you go along, make the layers smaller and put a small drop of glue on the bottom of each layer so they stick together.

Step 9. To make the center piece, roll one of the layers into a cone shape. Put a small drop of glue on the sides of the point, then stick it through the center of the flower layers. Pinch the layers around the point so they curve in.

Step 10. After the flower dries, place it on top of a glass candle holder. Opt for a candle whose coloring complements the colors of the flower.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Valentine’s Day turns out so many pretty decorations. If you’d like to create some of your own, make hanging heart garland to hang on your walls or in your windows. The great thing about them is that they add decor without taking up too much space or blocking your view if you’re hanging them in windows.

What you’ll need:

• Scissors
• Patterned paper
• Bows
• Mod Podge
• Ruler
• Ribbon
• Large heart punch

Step 1. Decide how long you want each strand of garland, then cut a ribbon for each strand you want to make.

Step 2. Punch out one large heart for every three inches of space on the ribbon.

Step 3. Place the heart about 3″ down from the top of the ribbon, place it over the ribbon, then use a dot of Mod Podge to attach the two together. Keep attaching hearts every three inches until you get to the end.

Step 4. Put one small bow in between each heart. Use a dot of Mod Podge to attach it to the ribbon, then press it down to ensure it sticks.

Step 5. Tie a loop at the very top of the ribbon so it can easily hang from a hook or tack.

Step 6. Continue to repeat Steps 1-5 until you have all the garland pieces you need.

By General Crafts Contributor Melissa, from the blog MeloMomma.

What do you do with all the tons of Valentine Cards your child brings home from school? Normally they get tossed after being looked at for a day. Or they get strung through the house making a frightful mess.

Well, I have come up with a fun solution. Not only will you have a place to display your favorite Valentine cards, but you and your child can have fun making this card holder!

Oh, yes, if you were wondering… the clothes pins do still work after being attached to the cookie cutter! This Valentine card holder is adorable, pretty, and 100% functional!

What you will need:

• Clothes pins
• Heart shaped cookie cutter
• Ribbon
• Lace
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

Place the clothes pins in a circular shape. Before gluing them, place the cookie cutter on top to assure that they all fit (as shown in photo).

Using a hot glue gun, glue the cookie cutter to the clothes pins.

For added hold glue around the cookie cutter on both the inside and outside.

Cut lace to fit both the inside and outside of the cookie cutter.

Secure the lace with the hot glue gun.

(A close up of the lace)

(A view of the backside)

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

There’s something about a beautiful gift tag; it can make even the most boring gift bag or box seem perfectly decorated. With a few materials, you can make a French heart tag that’s ideal for attaching to almost any present. It adds a sweet touch whether the gift is for your love or one of your friends.

What you’ll need:

• French book pages
• Ribbon
• Scissors
• Mod Podge
• Cardstock
• Hole punch
• Heart embellishment

Step 1. Cut a rectangle out of any color cardstock you wish, just make sure it’s proportionate to the heart embellishment you chose.

Step 2. Use a very thin layer of Mod Podge to adhere the French book pages to the cardstock. I used antique French dictionary pages from a book that was broken and going to get thrown out. Quickly and carefully use your finger to smooth out all the bubbles. Give it at least an hour to dry before moving onto the next step.

Step 3. Punch a hole in the top of the tag.

Step 4. Choose any type of heart embellishment you prefer, then use Mod Podge to attach it onto the center of the tag.

Step 5. Choose a color of ribbon that matches the heart embellishment. Use Mod Podge to attach the ribbon onto all four edges of the tag, then cut another piece and tie it through the hole. Trim off any excess only after the ribbon is already dry.

If the tag starts to curl while it’s drying, place a piece of wax paper over it and put a book on top for a few hours so it dries flat.

By Guest Blogger Diane, from the blog Charmingly Creative.

This is another adorable Valentine’s Day card for a loved one that is quick and easy to make. Time to complete: 5 minutes.

What you’ll need:

• Your favorite die cutting machine ( I used Spellbinders Grand Calibur)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Heart Dies
• Your favorite embossing folder (I used Cuttlebug Textile)
• Any Fiskars 3-in-1 Corner or 4-in-1 Corner punch
• Two Red – Rhinestone Hearts
• White cardstock
• Two different Valentine patterned cardstock. (I used a Polka Dot and small hearts cardstock)
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Bone folder
• Rotary cutter
• Glue Dots & Ranger Inkssentials Wonder Tape Roll 1/8″

Instructions:

Trim white card stock with Rotary cutter to 8″x10″. Score the card stock in the middle at the 5″ line and use a bone folder to crease the edge of paper to form 5″ x 8″card.

Using Rotary cutter trim Polka Dot cardstock to 4¾” x 7 ¾” and use Wonder Tape to adhere to front of card.

The Heart dies come in 6 sizes:

1: 1″ x 1⅛”

2: 1½” x 1⅝”

3: 2⅛” x 2¼”

4: 2¾” x 3″ (Not Using)

5: 3¼” x 3¾”

6: 4″ x 4½”

For the Pink Hearts you will need a #6, 3 and two #2′s. Die cut and emboss each Pink Heart through Spellbinder machine according to manufactures direction. For the White Hearts you will need a #5, 2 and two #1s. For White Hearts die cut and then emboss with Cuttlebug Textile folder.

Adhere large #6 Pink Heart in corner of card with white #5 on top, then pink #3 and white #2 on top. Repeat for the remaining hearts and glue in place. Trim a piece of Pink patterned cardstock to about 4″ x 1 ½” for label, use corner punch on edges. Run the words “Happy Valentine’s Day” through your printer and trim to fit Pink label, punch corners glue in place and attach to card. Attach Red Rhinestone Hearts to corners.

By Guest Blogger Diane, from the blog Charmingly Creative.

Remember your sweetie for Valentine’s Day on February 14th!

Time to Complete: 10 minutes

What You’ll need:

• Any Cuttlebug 5″ X 7″ embossing folder ( I used Kassie’s Brocade)
• Any Martha Stewart Edge Punch – (I used Embossed Trefoil Hearts)
• Any Fiskars 4-in-1 or 3-in-1 corner punch
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Hearts Die (Use #4 & #3)
• Spellbinders Heartfelt Creations- Layered Elegant Swirl Die
• Dark Pink, Black, Polka Dot and White cardstock
• Cuttlebug machine
• Spellbinders Grand Calibur
• Bone folder
• Rotary cutter
• Judikins Diamond Glaze or Sakura 3-D Crystal Lacquer Glaze
• Art Institute Transparent Glitter ( I used Pink)
• Art Institute Glitter Designer Dries Clear Glue, Ranger Inkssentials Wonder Tape Roll 1/8 or glue dots
• 3D glue dots
• Wax paper

Instructions:

Trim white cardstock with Rotary cutter to 8″x10″. Score the cardstock in the middle at the 5″ line and use a bone folder to crease the edge of paper to form card 5″ x 8″.

Trim Dark Pink cardstock 4 ¾” x 7 ¾” and Trim Polka cardstock 4 ½” x 7 ½” then attach Polka on top of Dark Pink and attach to front of card with Wonder Tape. Run Black cardstock with Layered Elegant Swirl die through Grand Calibur machine according to manufactures directions. (I place a small piece of wax paper down first, then die and finally cardstock so it does not stick to intricate details).

Trim a piece of Dark Pink cardstock to 4 ¾” X 2 ½” use edge punch on one side only. Place punched cardstock in embossing folder and run through machine.

The Heart dies come in 6 sizes: You only need the following two:

• 3: 2⅛” x 2¼”
• 4: 2¾” x 3″

Use Black cardstock for the largest Scalloped Heart die and run through machine using the Spellbinders instructions to cut & emboss the detail into the die shape. Take Dark Pink cardstock and remaining heart die and run through machine. Place Pink heart into Cuttlebug embossing folder and run through machine. Coat Dark Pink heart with Sakura 3-D Crystal Lacquer Glaze and sprinkle on Pink glitter set aside to dry.

Trim a piece of Pink cardstock to about 2 ¼” x 1 ½” for label, use corner punch on edges. Run the words Happy Valentine’s Day through your printer and trim to fit Pink label, punch corners glue in place. Glue Elegant Swirl piece slightly under Dark Pink embossed cardstock, center and glue on card. Use 3 D dots to attach Pink heart to front of Black heart. Attach to card. To complete card attach label to bottom right corner.

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and has aspirations to improve her crafting skills. Join Mable on Facebook to socialize and share with other crafters!

A perfect Sunday morning for me would be a steaming cup of coffee and watching “Sewing with Nancy”. Another personal favorite of mine is “The Joy of Painting” with Bob Ross. I grew up with PBS. Watching their shows gets my creative ideas going and I always get inspired to create. So I was very excited when I was asked to participate in the Nancy Zieman Blog Tour!

I have used Trace N Create Templates before to make a purse, so I was super excited when Nancy designed a template to make tablet keepers. The Clover Trace N Create Tablet Keepers Template allows you to make the perfect size keeper for your tablet or paper pad. As you can tell from the photo below, the template allows you to customize your keeper for your perfect size. It also has markings so you can add the elastic pieces to hold the tablet and strap to close the keeper.

The instructions provided are clear and easy to read. Also provided are stiff plastic sheets for the front and back cover of the keeper. The sheets can be cut to be sized down. You can also buy the Pre Cut Tablet Keeper Shapers separately to make more tablet keepers.

 My finished Tablet Keeper for my MOTOROLA XOOM Android Tablet!

Blog Tour Details

Each weekday, for 20 days in January, be sure to visit the guest blogger’s site to see their Tablet Keeper creation.

January 3            Nancy Zieman                   http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog

January 4            Amy Ellis                            http://amyscreativeside.com/

January 5            Sharon Pernes                    http://craizeecorner.blogspot.com/

January 6            Vicki Christensen              http://www.sewinspiredblog.com/

January 9            Joan Hawley                       http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/blog/

January 10            Pat Sloan                           http://patsloan.typepad.com/

January 11            Eileen Roche                     http://dzgns.com/blog/

January 12            Liz Hicks                           http://blogerisms.blogspot.com/

January 13            Fran Ortmeyer                 http://cloverusa.wordpress.com/

January 16            Ilene Miller                       http://happyvalleyprimitives.blogspot.com/

January 17            Julie Herman                   http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

January 18            Jenny Gabriel                  http://www.sewvacoutletblog.com/

January 19            Natalia Bonner                http://www.piecenquilt.blogspot.com/

January 20            Frieda Anderson             http://friestyle.blogspot.com/

January 23            Cindy Cloward                 http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/blog/

January 24            Beckie Hansen                 http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog

January 25            Amy Webb                         http://www.amylouwhosews.com/

January 26            Allie Robertson                http://thinkcrafts.com/ (That’s us!)

January 27            Mary Mulari                       http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog

January 30            Laura Wasilowski            http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/

January 31            Carol Porter                        http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog

 In addition to the blog tour, Clover is giving away an AMAZING prize package! Check out their site for details!

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

Q. Is there a way to write on dark cardstock?

A. A good way to get your journaling to show on dark colored cardstock is by using a gel pen.  White, pastel, metallic or neon, often referred to as fluorescent, inks show up well.  They are archival safe, waterproof and permanent to prevent bleeding through the paper.  The ink smoothly flows onto the paper and dries quickly.  Some pens are made with glitter in the ink to give an added sparkle to your writing.  They can, also, be used for doodling, drawing in items such as the center of a flower or to create a pattern on your dark cardstock and don’t forget if it already has a pattern that you can use the pen to highlight it and make it pop out even more.

Q. Are there scrapbooking/card making products that are recycled?

A. There are many products that are made from recycled items and can be recycled themselves such as paper scraps.  One easy way to find out the endless choices is by searching the word, “recycled” at CreateForLess. You will be able to find anything from paper to flowers and more there that have been made through recycling.  There are even books such as “Pulp Fiction” by Mark Montano at CreateFor Less that will help inspire you to recycle items found around your home into craft projects. 

Q. My ink pad seems dry.  Is there anything I can do about it?

A. A good way to keep your ink pads from seeming dry is to store them upside down when not in use. This allows the ink to flow to the top of the pad instead of settling into the bottom.  Make sure that the caps are always on tightly and closing the ink pad up right after use will help to keep them from drying out, too.   If the ink pad is older or has been used a lot you may need to purchase a new one.  There are some, such as Distress Inks by Ranger, that allow you to purchase a bottle of ink, known as a re-inker, to give life back to your ink pad by adding a few drops to the pad.  When purchasing these be sure to match the name of the re-inker to the name on the ink pad. 

 Q. Is there any easy way to get my punch lined up? 

 An easy way to make sure your punch is lined up is by flipping it over and working from the bottom until you are used to the punch and how it is lined up.  One way that I have found handy is to put the paper in while looking at the bottom of the punch making sure the edge of the paper is even with the metal open area so that it punches right to the edge of the paper.

Next, you can either line up the pattern looking at the bottom of the punch or flip it over and line it up with the pattern on the top, making sure that the last punched edge is still inside the punch.  If it looks like the picture on the right where you see half of the punched area you need to move it into the punch so that it continues to punch all of the areas. 

Q. Is there a good way to get glitter to stick on my cards and layouts?

This is one thing that can be frustrating to many, but there are some simple ways to keep the glitter on your project.  A glue pen, such as the Quickie Glue Pen by Sakura, allows you to place a line of glue exactly where you want it and while the glue is still wet apply the glitter.  Once dry it creates a permanent bond.  Another great way to adhere glitter to a large area is by using a sheet of adhesive from your Xyron machine.  Simply run your paper through your machine with the side down that you want to apply the glitter to and adhere the adhesive.  Remove it from the machine, flip it over and cover with the glitter.  You will now have a large glittery area to create on.  You can, also, follow these steps and then use a punch to punch out glittered embellishments or letters.  For an area that is too large to use a glue pen and too small to use your Xyron, try a double sided tape.  They come in many different widths to fit your project.  All you need to do is adhere one side of the tape to your project and remove the protective coating on the top side of the tape and pour your glitter on and it will stick.  These are really easy ways to add that glittery bling to your projects!

 By Kid’s Crafts Contributor Stephine, from the Blog Geek with Glasses.

The colder weather brings out all the mittens, gloves, scarves and hats. The little ones look so cute in hand knit mittens, but have you ever had to save a falling child while they were wearing them? My big fear is mitten to mitten, there is not a solid grip on the tiny one as you walk across the busy street or icy parking lot. Kids squirm and slip out so quick, next thing you’re left holding an empty mitten. Without some kind of hand covering, both momma and kiddo complain about the cold. I once saw an ad from the late 40′s or early 50′s about a shared mitten for hand holding. It was marketed for couples, but I think it works great for parents and children. A sure grip while being warm and snug, how wonderful.

Material:

• Momma Mitten Pattern - printable pattern
• 1/2 yard of fleece
• sewing machine
• all purpose thread
• Pins

I am not a terrific seamstress so if I can do this you can too. Print out the pattern provided and cut 2 out of fleece fabric. Pin the 2 together with right sides facing. Sew together using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Turn right-side out. I like a little cuff so I folded them down. It really couldn’t be easier.

The fleece has a nice stretch to it, so it can fit a variety of hand sizes. My little girl is 3 and we have been using this a lot. She loves it! My husband’s hand also fits because of the stretch, so he can wear it with her too. I can’t really say that he and I would wear it, but we could, I guess.

Stay warm and safe this winter.

By General Crafts Contributor Mina, from the blog Mina’s Journal.

Home is where the heart is! Why not make these Heart Houses this Valentine’s Day? All you need is paper or cardstock, scissors and glue. A quick, cute and funky project for Valentine cheer.

How to make the Heart House:

Trim around the outer lines of the house and the roof. Fold the roof in half widthwise to make the peak. Fold along the tab ends and sides of house as shown in the template.

Glue where indicated on the model. I found it better to glue the house together first, before putting on the roof. Line up the peak fold to match the top of the triangular top of the house.

Glue the roof to the tabs of one side of the Heart House. Glue the other side of the roof to the remaining side of the Heart House.

You’re done!

Ideas for Heart Houses

Make a few houses for a table centerpiece, or a shelf display.

Cut out windows, cover the inside window spaces with lunch paper. Pop the finished house over a LED light source, for night time illumination.

Download Blue Heart House

To use as a gift box glue the house onto a card base. Make it a little larger than the house and paint it green or use green card. Pop a gift inside the house before joining the roof.

Download Pink Heart House

To use the house to play with, cut along the top and bottom lines of the windows and down the middle. Fold open for shutter type windows.Cut along the top and down one side of the door. Fold door open and make paper dolls for your Heart House.

To make your own house, trace the template and design your own windows and doors, then make them up.

Have Fun! Happy Crafting!

*Design by Mina Keenan

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

I have such a love for Valentine’s Day simply because I adore hearts. Making a hanging piece of heart decor is ideal whether you’re putting it up outside or on a plain, boring wall. This heart craft is comprised of connecting hearts, similar to the look of a four leaf clover, and requires only a handful of materials.

What you’ll need:

• Red felt
• Red or pink patterned paper
• Double-sided tape
• Mod Podge
• Scissors
• Wide ribbon

Step 1. Choose a piece of red or pink patterned scrapbook paper. I picked one that’s white on one side, but if you so choose, use one that’s double-sided.

Step 2. Cut a piece of scrapbook paper into four even strips. If you’re using a standard size piece of scrapbook paper, each strip will be 3″ x 12″.

Step 3. Fold each strip in half, then bend in the ends so it forms a heart shape. Use a double-sided piece of tape to hold the heart shape in place. Make four in total.

Step 4. Use double-sided tape to attach the hearts to each other so their points meet in the center.

Step 5. Cut a piece of wide ribbon that’s long enough so it can hang the decor from wherever you’d like it placed.

Step 6. Put a dot of Mod Podge on each end of the ribbon. If you’re working with the hearts in a clockwise pattern, slide one end in between the top heart and the second heart, then slide the other end in between the top heart and the fourth heart. Press the paper down over the ribbon so it sticks.

Step 7. Cut two hearts out of red felt, then use a piece of double-sided tape or the Mod Podge to stick one on each side over the center where the points meet.

By Guest Bloggers Melissa + Kellie, from the blog Icing Designs.

Here is a fun way to dress up your Valentine’s Day cupcakes! This is also a great treat for your little munchkins to help with! What could be better than getting to eat your cupcake and the topper!?!

Just make a regular batch of Rice Krispie treats. Then use a mini heart cookie cutter to cut out little hearts. Stick a lollipop stick into the center of them and leave the hearts out for a few hours to let them harden a bit. 

(If you dip them in the chocolate right away they will fall apart.) Melt some chocolate candy melts in the color of your choice and simply dip your mini hearts in and cover completely! Gently shake off the excess chocolate and set them on a piece of parchment paper…add some sprinkles to dress them up a bit. Let them dry and then stick them into your cupcakes!

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

I am often blowing kisses and sending hugs to my wonderful husband so when I saw the Hot Lips paper by Bo Bunny it just seemed perfect for me to use to make a card.  No matter if it’s Valentine’s Day or just a normal day you, too, can throw the one you love a hug and blow them a kiss with this fun card that surely says, “I love you”. 

Supplies used on this project:

• Purple, Pink and Green Cardstock
• Bo Bunny 6 x 6 Smoochable Paper Pad- Hot Lips and Lovin You X’s & O’s  were used from the pad for this project
• Base Camp Cricut Cartridge
• Cricut Die Cutting Machine
• Martha Stewart Deckle Blade Rotary Tool
• Xyron Create A Sticker
• Heart Punch
• 1/8″ 3D Mini Adhesive Dots
• Martha Stewart Travel Trimmer
• Favorite Tape Runner

Begin by cutting a 5″ wide by 10″ long card base from the purple cardstock and fold in half to create a 5″ x 5″ card.

Cut a 4 ½” x 4 ½” piece of the Hot Lips paper from the Bo Bunny Paper Pad and using the Deckle Blade Rotary Tool trim off approximately ¼” of the top and bottom of the paper.  Next, adhere it to the cardstock with the tape runner.  

Put a piece of the Bo Bunny X’s and O’s paper from the Smoochable Paper Pad on your Cricut cutting mat. Place the Base Camp Cricut cart in the machine and set the cut size to ¾”.  Press the “Shift Lock” key as shown in the picture below.  Press the corresponding keys to spell the word, “SWAK” and press “cut” to begin cutting.  You will need to cut this out twice.  The easiest way to do this is to use the “Quantity” key on the Cricut.  Press is and use the “+” key to set the number of times to cut each letter to “2″. 

Next, using the same steps above and pressing the “Shadow” key as shown in the picture below cut the word two more times-once from purple cardstock and once from pink cardstock.  Make sure to turn off the “quantity” feature before cutting since you will be cutting these from different colors of cardstock.  Notice how the “Shadow” feature has made each letter fatter than the first time it was cut? 

Now run the letters cut from the X’s and O’s paper from the Bo Bunny Pad through the Xyron Create A Sticker and adhere them to the purple and pink cardstock letters. 

Punch several hearts from the green and pink cardstock using the heart punch.  Adhere them and the words to the front of the card with the Mini Adhesive Dots.  You can stack 2 of the dots on top of each other and place them on the hearts so they stand off the card further than the letters to create another layer on the card.  Tuck 3 hearts behind the patterned paper on the top for more fun using the tape runner to adhere them. 

You now have a card that will allow you to send hugs and kisses to the one you love!

By General Crafts Contributor Mina, from the blog Mina’s Journal.

Here’s something for the little ones – cute wee Mini Valentine Postcards for the kids to give out at school or preschool. Not too lovey-dovey. Just print onto paper or a card and trim along the outer lines.

Write who it’s to, who it’s from and the year on the back. There is room for a message too.

You Will Need:

• paper or card
• scissors
• glue

Optional

• double sided adhesive,  foam dots or tape
• ribbons
• coloured craft paper
• card blanks
• cardboard

Valentine’s Day Card Ideas

Use these Mini Valentine Postcards as a card topper for larger cards by sticking them onto card blanks. You can make your own card blanks by just folding a piece of card in half.

Paste rectangular pieces of colored craft paper to use as mats. Paste them onto the card blank before the topper.

Print out the page of extra Valentine Day images to make a range of other cards. Cut loosely around them and position them on your cards. Use double sided foam dots or tape to make the images pop out. If you don’t have any – just use small bits of thick cardboard.

Add embellishments like ribbon, beads or buttons.

Click on photo to view Kid’s Mini Valentine Postcards image

Click on photo to view Extra Valentine Images

All of the cards you see in this post was made with two card downloads and one extra images to print. There are plenty of images left over.

Valentine’s Day History

There are two popular stories about how Valentine’s Day came about. One says that Valentine was a priest in the time of the great Emperor Claudius the Second during the third century. Claudius, wanting his army to grow better and larger decreed that young men could not marry. Valentine did not agree with this and performed marriage ceremonies in secret. He was found out and put to death. The other story says that Valentine was a prisoner who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter and wrote a note to her signed ‘Your Valentine’.

Happy crafting!

By Craft Celebrity Mark Montano, from the blog Mark Montano’s Big Ass Blog.

How many sweaters do you have in your drawer that you really should toss but don’t because you think you might wear them again? My guess is at least three. Well, I’ve got a way to make more room in your dresser and put those sweaters to use. I guarantee these Sweeter Sweater Gloves, when made with girly sweaters in pretty colors and matching knit gloves, will not only be warm, but also very glamorous.

YOU’LL NEED:

• Sweater you’re about to toss
• Scissors (Fiskars are the BEST!)
• One pair of knit gloves
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine with matching thread (I love my BERNINA)

HERE’S HOW

Evenly cut off the sleeves of the sweater in a length you like. If you want your gloves to end at the elbow, then cut them off at the elbow. Pull the cutoff sleeves up your arms by the cuffs. The cuffs of the sweater should be tight enough to keep them in place on your upper arms. But, if they’re not, pinch them and see how much you will need to take in. Also see how much, if any, you will have to take in the sweater sleeves at the wrist. If you do need to take in the sleeves, do so by gathering the extra material along the seam of the sweater and stitching, and then cut off the excess.

Turn the sleeves inside out and place the gloves in the end that you cut off, matching up the openings (the fingers of the gloves should be pointed toward the sweater cuff end).

Place a couple of straight pins in the openings to hold the gloves in place.

Sew the raw edge of the sleeve to the opening of the glove using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you stretch the fabric while you’re sewing so that the glove opening stretches when you put them on. Turn the sleeves right side out.