Cards: Valentine's Day - Office Notes

Inspiration:  Since my 2nd job post grad-school, I've always handed out little Valentine's.  I started always including a butterfly, but have since moved on to other things.  This year when I saw a blog posting by a pen friend of a typewriter valentine I was inspired to use office equipment.

How I Made Them:  These were simply made in Microsoft Word.  Just added a table and played around with the sizing of the rows and columns.  I used free clipart images I found on the web and then added little Valentine-like sayings.  Printed them on cardstock so they weren't just regular paper and cut them out.  Signed me name and I'll hand them out at work tomorrow.

Alternatives:

• I could list so many other themes to try: fruit, candy bars, soda pop brands, animals, comic book characters, shapes, exotic coffee flavors (I'm totally thinking about using this one next year), fast food restaurants.  Just have fun making the little sayings!

Card: Valentine's Day - Grapes

Inspiration: After last year's strawberry hearts, I wanted to come up with something in a similar vein.  Something with a heart shape - I thought about doing Luv Bugs, but I think I'll save those for next year.  Instead I thought, a bunch of grapes can have a heart shape.  But I didn't like the idea of cutting out lots of circles in felt.  Luckily I remembered all the foam projects my daughter has been doing and went in search of materials.

How I Made Them:  As I mentioned, I used foam pages.  One plain purple and one glitter purple.  I used a  plastic tube I had from something, it was about the size of a small test-tube.  I pressed this into the back side of the foam and then cut out the circles with scissors.  If I had a large enough circle hole punch, that probably would have worked better.  I did use some sticky-back stiff green felt to do the little leaf which I just free-hand cut out.  I used pre-cut bookmarks I got at Hollo's (they were 2 inch by about 7.5 inch) and cut them down to 2 inch x 3 inch pieces.  I glued on the circles (alternating rows between plain and glittered) and then stuck on the leaf (peel back and stick, so easy).  I used purple gel pen to write "You're a grape friend, Valentine!"  I'll have my daughter sign the backs before she takes some to preschool on the 14th.

Alternatives:

• Other fruits (raspberries - though that one might have trouble coming up with a nice saying), orange slices (Orange you a smiley Valentine!), bananas (in a smile! - I go bananas for you, Valentine), pineapple (make it heart shaped)...

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