"Let's Stick Together" Valentines

It's that time of year again--where kids are making adorable little valentine boxes and passing out valentines to friends, classmates, etc.  I still remember all the candies and how much I loved getting all those valentine's cards.

Unfortunately, I actually really dislike those conversation hearts that are so prevalently attached to said valentine cards.  What I did always love as a child was when I got stickers. Yes, stickers.  I loved putting them in my "sticker book."  It hardly even mattered what the stickers were, so long as I could put them in my cool book.  And I'm sure my Mom loved it when I showed her EVERY SINGLE ONE that I added in. :)  (Maybe not eeevery one.)  Really, she loved that I got something other than candy. :) This next simple Valentine would have met both our needs. 

In these next few posts I'll share a few last minute Valentine card ideas for you, if you are still in need, in.  

Or, as is likely the case with this first card, you can tuck them away for next year as ideas to try out.  (Sorry to be sharing these so late!  I was making so many cards and cookies to share with neighbors and friends this year that I neglected my sharing with you!  So here you are, and still on Valentine's Day and everything.)

Let's stick together

This first card is great for making in bulk and passing out to your kid's friends, for a small activity, etc.

Items needed:
* Silhouette sketch pens (two colors)
* Sheet of paper (print paper works, as long as it isn't too busy, as you can see in the following pictures)
* Sheet or packs of stickers (can also make your own custom stickers using our white sticker sheets! Think school logo, the kids' names, popular movie characters, etc. I just found these at the dollar store, but it would have been fun to make some simple custom ones using the cut and print function.)

First, I created my image for each card.  I went with some overlapping hearts, with the words "Let's stick together" over the top.  Simple.  Easy.  I copied the image and duplicated it across and down the length of the page so that I could get the most out of each sheet of paper, leaving enough space at the bottom of each image for a place to put the sticker pack.

Next, in order to get your card to draw the hearts in one color and the words in another--and have them do it right where you want it--I've learned a little trick. Let me share it again.

Trick: First, insert your first colored sketch pen.  In this case, I chose a pink pen for my hearts.  Go to the "cut" screen in Silhouette studio.  This should show you what is going to be cut, or in this case, drawn.  Since I want my words in another color, I want to de-select my words and mark them as "no cut."  Once those are deselected, only the hearts should show the dark red line around them, signaling that they are what will be cut or sketched.  Send it through your Silhouette.  When it is finished DO NOT HIT UNLOAD.  I repeat, do not hit unload.  Instead, leave things right where they are.  When your Silhouette finishes cutting something, it automatically goes back to the starting place for that loaded sheet of paper.  By leaving your sheet and mat untouched (aka, loaded) your Silhouette is primed to start in the same place for the next part of your image.

For  different colored sketch overlays, once the first portion is drawn DO NOT press unload.  Instead, switch pen colors and then let it start from that same spot for your overlays or next color!

Now you are primed to switch colors and have them drawn.  Switch your sketch pen color (in this case, I went with purple.  Love it.).  Then go back to the cut screen and reselect your text so that it will be cut, but choose " no cut" for all of your hearts or background image.   Now, all of your text should have dark red lines outlining it in the cut screen, and the rest of your image should appear faded.  The picture below demonstrates what it should look like, with one image in the top right corner showing you what the whole image looks like before I hit "no-cut" for the hearts.

Now send it through the second time for this next portion.  When your done sending it through, you should have something like this:

Cut your card out and back it with cardstock, use a glue-dot to adhere your sticker pack, and you're off! Off to a child's Valentine party with you very own cute, simple, homemade valentines.  I like it.  Let's stick together on these great ideas, eh? :0)

Give a sticker pack with this easy Valentine card: Let's Stick Together!