Love.
Sweet, sweet love.
Is there anything more divine?
Just like love, cupcakes come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. For Valentine’s Day, I really like to send out cards to friends, family, and unexpected children. In the past, I’ve went rabid creating a variety of cards because I really prefer doing everything as a one of a kind item so that it is unique. I think it’s kind of cool for someone to know that not a single other person in the world has this special little something that was created for them. Alas, I recognized the wisdom in creating many of a single design if trying to produce for a lot of people and tried a hand at that this year. Still, each card was made with love and delivered with the intention of surprise and happiness.
Back-dropped with some sweetheart polka-dots that play peek-a-boo, I used a Martha Stewart border punch to lace the top and bottom of the card with hearts. Stripes in the colors of Valentine’s love reminded me of a sugary candy shop or bakery. With that in mind, I knew I wanted to deliver a little something sweet, and of course some flowers. But instead of the traditional box of chocolates and roses, I went with cupcakes and daisies.
The white oval spotlight and scallop behind it was created using Spellbinders dies and inking the edges. I inked the edges of everything. The cupcake came from a stamp. I inked up the topping and stamped it onto one design of cardstock, and inked the bottom and stamped it onto another design. Both were embossed, the top with a red glitter, the bottom with a metallic red. I also sprayed some shimmer spray on them. I then cut them out with scissors. Lots and lots of cupcake cutting! Because the wrapper section curled up some, I ended up ironing them which caused the embossing powder to re-melt and leave an interesting look to the wrapper, but without the raised design that comes from embossing powders. I also added some additional red glitter glue to the topping swirls and sprinkles.
The flowers started out as white, but I used some Shimmering H20 watercolors to color them to a vibrant red and dotted their adora-daisy selves with iced pearl viva decor dots. ((Lesson alert! Lesson alert! This almost created a disaster. Apparently the Viva Decor pens, at least in this color, will pick up a watercolor that is beneath them. My red, though dry, bled up into the pearls in the center causing them to turn a really icky brownish, dirty color. In an effort to save the cards, I went back over the pearl droplets a second time, which gave them an odd shape. Some more than others. But for the most part, it corrected the color from the bleeding. A few still had the tiniest hints of it, but they were passable. So now you won’t have to learn this little boo boo the hard way, because I did for you. Haha!))
The little banner tag was created with a Cuttlebug die that embosses and cuts at the same time. I love the label/banner set it’s a part of. I inked the edges, used glitter glue to dot the sides, and delivered a hand written, “You’re so sweet!” with a Spica pen in that beautiful red sparkle.
I kept the inside simple. Two stamps filled with love. A heart in different languages from a rubber stamp, and the words, “Be My Valentine” from an awesome Tattered Angel’s stamp set beneath it. I traced over it with the same pen I wrote the sentiment in on the front and was left with plenty of room to write personal messages for each individual person and/or family.
The seal on the back was another Dollar Store rubber stamp find. It says “Sent with love”, which was perfect for these cards. I covered up the center part of the stamp with some miniature cupcakes which were created with a smaller stamp and then cut out like before and topped with heart shaped confetti pieces. I adore these confetti pieces. The red beneath isn’t part of the card. I just scribbled out my name on the photo.
Finally, I created these envelopes for each card using plain printer cardstock. Once I cut the basic envelope shape out, I used several different heart shaped stamps to cover the inside of the paper with hearts in the same colors that can be found on the base of the front of the card. I also created a tiny envelope seal via using a small scalloped circle punch and gluing one of the hearts there were punched from the border on the front of the card into it’s center. I sealed them up with love, let the moon bless them, and sent them out into the world to find the hands and hearts of their recipients.
I hope all of you were blessed with a wonderful Valentine’s Day. That you were filled with much love and laughter. I certainly was. In the coming days I’ll be sharing a few more photographs of what I made for my husband. I jokingly had told him I wanted a Dremel tool for Valentine’s Day. Ok, half jokingly told him that. Guess what! He got me one! lol…one with goodies included! He was humored to see me excited over a power tool and little metal star washer thingies. But hey, they were sooooo coooool and inspired by an article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors I will be making something incredible with the little pretties for sure!!! I also got a wonderful love letter which he read to me that made me tear up (awwwweee! I know! 
Now be honest ladies, how many of you would have squeaked just as loud as I did if you got a Dremel tool? Don’t be shy. I know there’s lots of you who would. We could start a new trend- heart stopping hand tools and the women who use them!
Happy Valentine’s to all of my wonderful readers and some additional love to each of you who have been leaving me such kind comments. Your enthusiasm and passion for creativity is inspiring!