Make valentines by hand

Remember the shoebox of valentines from elementary school? You can make that again, with better handwriting. DIY Valentine’s cards are one of the cheapest, quickest ways to make someone’s week. All you need is paper, a pair of scissors and a list of people.

Make your list first

Before you cut anything, write down who gets one. Include friends, family, a teacher, a neighbour, a coworker you like, someone who has been kind to you lately. Six to ten is a good number for an evening. Next to each name, write one thing you’d like to tell them. This is what makes it more than a stack of hearts.

Valentine’s Day is February 14. If you’re mailing cards, send them a week or so ahead so they arrive on time. Hand-delivered ones can be put in a bag, a locker or on a desk.

What to have

Beyond the red and pink card stock, scissors and glue on your list, these help:

• A pencil and eraser for drawing the heart shape
• A pen or fine marker for writing
• Scrap paper, tissue or old wrapping paper for decoration
• A ruler, so your folds are straight
• Envelopes, if you’re mailing or hiding them

How to make one

1. Fold a rectangle of card stock in half to make a card. Run your thumbnail along the fold so it stays crisp.
2. Draw a heart on scrap paper, cut it out and use it as a template. Fold a piece of paper in half and draw half a heart against the fold to get a symmetrical shape.
3. Trace and cut hearts from red, pink or patterned paper. Make a few in different sizes.
4. Glue a heart to the front. Layer a small one over a larger one for a simple look.
5. Add a detail. A border, a small drawing, a strip of tape or a few dots of colour.
6. Write the message inside with a pen. Add the person’s name and sign it.

Simple variations

• Pop-out heart. Cut two slits in the fold and push the heart tab forward.
• Pocket card. Fold a strip of paper into a small pocket, and tuck a note inside.
• Window card. Cut a heart out of the front and glue coloured tissue behind it.
• Bookmark. Cut a long strip, add a heart at the top and write a line down the side.

What to write

Keep it short and true:

• “You make ordinary days better.”
• “I’m so glad we’re friends.”
• “Thank you for being there this year.”
• “Here’s to more long dinners.”

Avoid copying a poem unless you want to. A plain sentence in your own words is warmer.

What goes wrong

• The cut is crooked. Draw lightly first with a pencil, and cut slowly. A slightly wonky heart looks handmade, which is the point.
• The glue wrinkles the paper. Use a glue stick, not liquid glue, and press the piece flat under a book for a few minutes.
• You run out of paper colours. Use magazine pages, wrapping paper or coloured envelopes as extras.
• You don’t know what to write. Think of one specific thing the person did this year, and say thank you.
• You worry it’ll be misread. If you’re giving to a friend, add “from your friend” or a plain note, so the message is clear.

After

Give them out by hand if you can. Some people like to leave one in an unexpected place. Make one for yourself if you like: a card with a kind line, which you can open when you need it. Keep any scraps in an envelope and you’ll have a head start next year.

Make a few extras

Cut a few more hearts than you need, so you have spares for someone you forgot, or for a friend who unexpectedly gives you one. A small stack of blank cards in your bag is useful all year, for thank-yous and birthdays too. If you enjoy the cutting and folding, try a different shape next time, such as a star, a flower or a mitten.

Make it a winter evening

Put on soft music, make a hot drink, and spread the paper over a table with a lamp on. You could also host a Galentine’s Day and give the cards out at the table, or make a hot chocolate for the person who needs one most.