Posts Tagged ‘Valentines’

Alternative Valentines: Cutie Tag Freebie

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Last year I had this darling idea (I’ll share next week), ordered a bunch of things 3 months in advance and they never came. So, day before Valentine’s I was scrambling to do something a little out-of-the-box that didn’t involve candy. 

I drew the design in Procreate on my iPad Pro and then exported it to Silhouette where I printed and cut all of the tags. I had Penelope put her name on all of hers, but Felix needed a little bit of help. It was easy, and the kids absolutely LOVED it! I didn’t know if fruit would be an acceptable offering for grade school kids, but apparently it was just perfect. PHEW!! 

I didn’t realize I forgot to share the printable here until a few weeks ago, so here you go. And hopefully this year’s 2019 printable won’t take me a year to post. ;)

I kept the shape simple enough that if you don’t have a Silhouette cutter at home, you can easily just cut around the outside with scissors. You don’t have to get a perfect cut in order for them to look darling, either. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE (SANS SILHOUETTE MACHINE)

Now if you’d like to use a Silhouette machine to cut them out for you (because why would you not) see the link below to download. 

SILHOUETTE STUDIO FREE PRINTABLE

MATERIALS USED

Did you print it out? What did you think? Tag me @melissapher if you do! I’d love to see how they turned out. 

This freebie and the artwork associated with this freebie are yours to use for personal use only. Any alteration, redistribution or selling this work without my permission is prohibited. Thank you! Affiliate links used help support this website. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or email me directly melissaATmelissaesplinDOTcom

Japanese Puzzle Eraser Valentines

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Most holidays I don’t go all-out. But Valentine’s Day is a day for me to have fun with puns and little gifts. I tend to give myself unrealistic expectations (all the time. Constantly. 24/7), I’ve gotten better at ignoring them and being more realistic with my time (because… umm… naps). But for Valentine’s I love doing something a little bit on the ridiculous side. I mean, come on. I could have gone to the grocery store and picked up any number of things that are already done. But this is like a hobby to me. An annual one, but a hobby nonetheless.

Last month while in San Francisco, I made it a point to visit my favorite Daiso store and as I was walking past the aisles of adorable-ness, I spotted a wall of assorted puzzle erasers and piled them in my basket. It just came to me that the kiddos in Penelope’s and Felix’s classes needed these things. And hey, they’re not candy, so my practical mom-self said, “The kids with dietary restrictions will get to enjoy these, too!!”

I found these darling clear plastic pillow boxes at my local packaging supply store (Pak N Wrap), if you’re not in my same area, you can get them on amazon right here

They’re so darling, the temptation to put them in your mouth is real, so I put a little note on the bottom that said, “P.S. This is an eraser.:)” Because heaven forbid a little piece gets lodged somewhere. 

 

My first inclination was to do some fancy-pants lettering like what I did above (I love the snap, so I wanted to throw that in here). But it’s for Kindergarteners and Third graders. They won’t be able to read that, let alone really appreciate it. So I busted out my more casual single-case lettering instead. 

Coming up with something clever to say was just about as stressful as naming a newborn. But instead of something timeless, I wanted it to be clever. Unfortunately, I’m not known for my quick wit. That’s okay. Because this girl can’t be perfect at everything, right? So I phoned it in with a “Hello, adorable”. And I’m happy with it. I wish I had done something a little more fancy and creative with the design of it all, but done is better than perfect any day. 

I didn’t complete these in time for you to use the idea this year, but this could be fun for a little party favor or little gift for future use. I hope you use the idea! Feel free to download the lettering by right-clicking the image below. And you can purchase an adorable assortment of puzzle erasers right here, if you’re like me and don’t have a Daiso store near you. Thanks Amazon!! 

Printable and its contents are free for personal use only. Any alteration or distribution of the file (beyond adding your own text) without permission is prohibited. 

 

Freebie: Valentine’s Day Treats 2016

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We had a grand time this year prepping for Valentine’s. I nearly forgot to share what we did. I found a gigantic bag of (my favorite) Hi-Chews at the grocery store a month ago, so I knew immediately I wanted to do something punny with those. So here we are.

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The kids love these things (I had to buy a second back of Hi-Chews just to finish all the valentine’s because a bunch may or may not have been eaten many weeks before the fact.

I found little 3″x3″ zip closure baggies at my local Pak ‘N Wrap. You can find these just as easy at papermart.com. I just didn’t want to wait for shipping. I wrote out the little phrase, printed and cut these little fold-over cards and stapled them together. Mega easy.

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Penelope designed and I made a stamp so she could own her valentine’s day treats. Felix even helped putting them together! I love when I can include both of them on the fun! I know it’s too late for 2016 Valentine’s, but I figure I’d share this printable for anyone looking to use this idea in the future. See the link below to download the printable.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

*By downloading the above material, you agree to terms of use: This tutorial/freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without my consent. Altering any files is NOT ALLOWED. If you would like to use this freebie for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!

DIY: Love Letters, 3 Ways

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This week has just zoomed by so fast. We’ve been struck down with Rotavirus and RSV. The ultimate double-whammy for winter illness, if you ask me.

on Wednesday, I was on Studio 5 sharing 3 fun ways to write a love note. See below for tips and the full segment.

Chris and I don’t exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day. It’s usually a simple love letter. We’d like to try and get out, but usually the day is so crazy it doesn’t end up happening. We keep it simple to say the least.

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So how to write a love letter? When it comes to the actual writing, refrain from using “I” first. Is the letter about you? No. Start with “You”. Example:

I think you’re amazing. Really? Does it really matter what I think? 

You are an amazing inspiration to all you know. Ahh, that’s more like it.

I’m no pro at prose, but thinking in that direction has significantly helped me write more interesting letters. On to the crafty fun!

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The School Girl

This is a playful note meant for the young or young-at-heart. Fold up an origami heart using your lined paper and seal it with a kiss or some gloriously kitschy stickers. Glitter glue doesn’t hurt, either. I used the below video for folding the heart:

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The Heart Attack

Perfect snail mail attack of hearts. Rough cut a bunch of hearts and write things you love about that person. Add confetti or glitter for even more fun. But be sure you’re sending glitter to the right kind of person. It’s kind of like the measles of crafting supplies. Out. Of. Control.

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The Romantic Novel

I like to write my man love notes and I like to add a little pizzaz to them! Go for maximum masculine impact with black lined paper and a white pen. Add some silver washi tape for just a little bit of glam. ;)

Valentine’s Calligraphy Workshop in SLC,UT

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I’m teaching another workshop in the Salt Lake City area! I’ll be covering the basics that I teach in my regular classes plus how to write the perfect love letter and address it. Join me on February 1st from 5:30-8:30!

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The workshop is 3 hours, it includes one-on-one instruction, dinner and a kit with all the supplies you need to get started. The kit includes:

  • a selection of nibs
  • nib holders
  • ink
  • pencil
  • paper
  • guide sheets
  • stationery

It’ll all be packaged in a pretty box for you to take home with you.

 

(photo by Unlost Photography)

To sign up, or read more about the workshop, click here. I hope to see you there!

Not in the Salt Lake area? Sign up for the online calligraphy class or submit your city for a workshop here. Feel free to comment below or email if you have any questions.

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