After making a mosaic Valentine’s Day card several years ago, and a Valentine Tree card with heart-shaped leaves, I decided to go in a completely different direction this year. With chocolates being out of the picture this year, I thought it would be fun to make an unusual card–no red, no heart shapes, and a card that might hang around after Valentine’s Day.
Heart card tied with a ribbon to hold it closed.
Several months ago, I found a heart-shaped rock on my walk. I took it home, scrubbed it, and kept it for future use.
My biggest accomplishment was remembering where I put it so I could use it for Valentines.
I decided to make a round-ish pocket for the stone, add a sweet saying and hide the stone in the pocket.
Here’s how I made it:
1. I chose a piece of Monsoon Paper I made–using a blue / gold/ silver / purple color scheme to avoid the standard red. I folded the piece into thirds, using an accordion fold. The final measurement is about 5 x 6 inches.
The insert is both colorful and sentimental.
2. I cut a rough circle pattern so that two pieces would create a pocket and the third fold creates the flap. The pocket pieces are joined at the bottom, creating a pocket that I can glue only around the edges.
Using a gel pen, I drew “stitching” around the edge of the pocket and the edge of the flap.
3. Taking the rock, I painted it with gold ink and then put plain water on it to cause the ink to run off unevenly. I wanted a rock with gold highlights, not a uniformly gold rock.
4. Using another piece of Monsoon Paper, I cut an oval out of a section with good color contrast. Using a gold sparkly gel pen (it is Valentine’s Day, after all), I wrote a line from Neil Young’s Heart of Gold on it– “I’ve been a miner for a heart of gold.” On the back I wrote something sentimental and signed it.
5. I tucked the oval into the pocket, so the edge of the paper just peeks out. I tucked the rock in with it, and tied it all with a ribbon that picked up the purple in the paper. A totally different, but loving Valentine’s card.
And the rock will be a nice lasting reminder of the heart of gold that I found when I found Cooking Man all those years ago.
I’m not big on commercial holidays, but it’s nice to surprise someone you love with a reminder of that love every now and then.
–Quinn McDonald is a romantic at heart, even if Valentine’s Day doesn’t have any chocolate in it anymore.
Roses are red
In full-spectrum light.
From a Ferris perspective
they’re quite a nice sight!
Quinn…what a most perfect way to say that love comes from you the giver to to recipient…painting the rock gold is outstanding…and that wonderful paper makes a exactly right container….a gift that will surely remain as a reminder of the sweetness of your love for the cooking man…thanks for sharing with us.
It has a lot of significance in many ways, and it as a big hit, even very early this morning1
Gasp! Absolutely fantabulous!
<3 Happy Valentine's Day Everyone <3
Awww, thanks. I like making what I call “precious little objects” that have a lot of secret meaning.
Hi Quinn, a unique Valentine’s present from the heart! We don’t do much with Valentine here in the Netherlands but the idea of a special gift so now and then for someone who is precious to us is always good!
It’s nice to tell people we love them every day. I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s, but ignoring it doesn’t feel right, either.