DIY: pop-up love card

Making a pop-up card only looks super hard. It's actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Thankfully, I drew out about four prototypes on scrap paper before using card stock and I suggest you do the same. My first two cards were really just a lesson in block letters because as soon as I went to cut out the letters, I actually cut them out or I cut the tops or bottoms wrong. Sometimes I like cutting with an exacto knife so much, I forget to stop cutting!

I was inspired by these two card tutorials, and using them, I figured out what would work best for me. Here ya go!

I started by lightly folding the card stock in half and only creasing the edges. I didn't want the letters to have a fold in them. Then I wrote out, in block lettering, the word, LOVE, making sure that the letters would fall somewhere in the middle of the "fold" (cuz I haven't actually folded the card yet, I just marked where it would be folded). I've highlighted my pencil marks on the computer so you can see them better. Don't actually make them this heavy or you won't be able to erase them cleanly!

Then I used a ruler to mark a line just above and below the word (in orange here so you can see, but again,  in reality, it's a really light pencil line) so that I could extend the tops of the letters out to give them tabs and line up the bottoms of the letters so they'd fold straight.

Then I started cutting away the paper from around the letters. Leave the tops of the tabs and the bottom of the letters attached to the paper. I also cut out a portion from around the L and the E to help them pop out.

Folding the letters is probably the trickiest part. You've got to do each one separately making sure the main letter doesn't get folded. I find it helps a bit to fold the card almost in half and then press, fold, and adjust the tabs so the letters pop out properly.

As you can see, I also cut out the I and U. I was going to write them, but I thought this would have more punch. You can do this, too, if you want or just write something else in ("My love" or "Love forever" or "I love lamp" you get the idea). Then pick out a piece of paper for the back of the card. It can be any colour or pattern you want. This is a thicker tissue paper that I liked for the pattern, unexpected colours, and the fact that the pattern shows up in a lighter version on the back-side. Cut the paper down so it's just larger than the card and glue it onto the back of your pop-up. Make sure to push out any bubbles (because of the cut out letters, mine looks a little bubbly, but it's not a big deal. Handmade card! Hello!). Trim off the excess around the edges if you have any.

I opted to colour the letters so they stand out a bit more, but you don't really have to.

Once you get the hang of cutting the letters out properly, this isn't a time consuming project at all and should only take you about 20 minutes to finish one card. Don't forget that you can write whatever you like in the card and pop it out. You don't have to do the love thing. Personalize it or change it completely for a birthday or thank you card. Easy!

I really like the look of handwritten letters, but I also spotted this free pop-up font which you could use if you're a little nervous about drawing the letters yourself.

friday fixations

Here are 14 of my favourite pins for February 14th:

I just want something simple to make

1 {lace tape} Use this to embellish cards, envelopes, or candies.
2 {love bugs} Because boys need Valentines, too. (The jar card is a free printable!)
3 {scratch off lottery tickets} Combine this with the love coupons (below) or use it to send a secret message. I had no idea it would work but apparently, you can paint the scratch off paint right onto a picture. Of your choosing. A picture... get where I'm going with this?

I've got the whole weekend to scheme

4 {couch picnic} I love the idea of having a picnic on the couch. It's just about our most favourite place -- he even asked me to marry him on it. It's that perfect.
5 {heart warmer} The basement is a little cooler than the rest of the house, so I think it would be super cute to have this around for our toes. It would be even better if a hot water bottle were involved instead (I'm kicking myself for not buying one when I saw them at Christmas).

But I do own a printer and I like free stuff...

6 {watercolour pink} I love this shade of pink. It's almost like melon.
7 {pink bird} This love bird card also comes with a matching envelope.
8 {valentine labels} These were designed to wrap around envelopes, but I think it would make more sense to wrap them around a chocolate bar or a package of candy.
9 {owls} And other cute school-style Valentine's cards. It was really hard choosing just one to pin (the banana card is calling my name, too)!
10 {love coupons} Hasn't everyone made coupon gifts before? If you haven't, now's your chance (plus these are a little more stylish than the crayon and construction paper ones of my youth). This also comes with a matching card.

I'm out of colour ink and have no time!

11 {sriracha card} Idle Husband loves this stuff. I just love the slogan.
12 {geeky cards} I'm really liking the retro styling on these. Maybe it's because I've started watching Mad Men.
13 {pocket animals} If your loved one has a favourite animal, you might find it here. (I can't find our animal! Extra credit: sculpt your own using air drying clay.)
14 {pink domo} I love his nerdy glasses and colour. Don't worry about ordering online. I spotted these at Urban Outfitters, too.

As usual, you can find tons more ideas (especially DIY ideas and more free printables) over on Pinterest!

DIY: chocolate bar wrappers

This is mostly just to give you some ideas for easy chocolate bar wraps. It's not really a DIY because what could be more simple than rewrapping a chocolate bar? There's just about zero effort involved, but the cuteness factor is pretty huge.

I started with Caramilk bars because they were the only chocolate bars I could find that had a removable wrapper. I thought there'd be more variety in this area but apparently not (not like I'm bemoaning Caramilk! That bar is kinda tops on our list!). If you can't find chocolate bars with a removable sleeve, don't worry. I would take off the offending wrapper and wrap the chocolate lightly in aluminum foil, parchment paper, or waxed paper and then decorate. Any of these options would look just as pretty and it's a quick solution to an annoying problem.

Remember all the hearts I cut out earlier? Well, I kept the pieces of paper (cuz that's what I do. I'm a paper hoarder), trimmed up the edges to straighten them, and wrapped them around a bar.

I thought it looked nice with the gold foil, but you could also make a quick sleeve from coloured or patterned tissue paper and then top it with the heart cut outs.

To make a sleeve, choose your paper, then use the original sleeve as a guide and trace around it and cut it out.

Gently bend the paper and crease it around the chocolate bar then glue the ends together. Don't wrap it too tightly or it'll be difficult to remove later. For the eating. You have to ensure easy access to eating.

I also found this package of cute Valentine's tape at Superstore for $2! I thought that was a pretty good deal for five rolls of tape plus I can definitely use it throughout the year (hello polka dots!) And just so you know, this tape isn't washi tape, it's plastic.

But look at how cute it is! Gah.

You can use the tape to embellish the wrapper however you want. And if you're one of the lucky ones you've got some washi tape, consider using it. It doesn't have to be pink with hearts. Just know that as soon as it goes on, it's not coming off! You will rip the foil.

That's it! Pretty easy stuff, right? It's just another Valentine's day option that anyone can pull off with limited time and supplies.

DIY: heart toppers

Here's a turn everything into a Valentine last minute Valentine's day project!

I especially love this because Valentine's day is not like Christmas where I want to decorate my whole house and ooze hearts and pink for a whole month. So these little slip-on hearts can slip on and be all romantic for a day, then slip off into the recycle bin. Know what I mean?

They can also go on anything.

This is just a little cup of pudding I made the other night. Boom! Heart on a spoon -- it's Valentine's day pudding now!

I want to do one of those ending-credit type infomercials where a list of things you can put these hearts on scrolls by too quickly to read, but I'm not nerdy enough to figure out how to do that. (I wish I was that nerdy, honestly.)

Here's how to make 'em!

Fold a piece of coloured paper in half. Actually, you don't have to use a whole piece of paper. Save some trees and use scraps. Cut out some hearts. You know, by drawing half a heart on the crease and cutting it out. Symmetrical hearts brought to you by folding!

While the heart's folded, cut a couple slits into the middle. It helps if you've got a spoon or pencil around so you can check to see if it'll fit where you've cut.

Then starting from the back of the heart, weave the heart onto the spoon, pencil, fork, straw, whatever you're putting it on and you're done!

While the hearts do transform everything into a Valentine's day treat, it does help to use the right kind of cups, too. 

friday fixations

{kinos} For 99 cents, this might be one app worth getting.

{alt summit blogs} I've already been reading some of these up and coming blogs, but I see there are a lot more to peruse! Maybe you'd like to check them out, too? (I've been adding new blogs to my reader like a crazy person lately!)

{crepe works} Always a lurker, finally an eater. And then, after one bite, I realized that if it were legally possible, I'd marry the #13 crepe from Crepe Works at WEM (that's nutella, banana, and toasted coconut). I realize it's my first Crepe Works crepe, but sometimes you just know and it feels right. It's gonna be my new eat joint at the mall (sorry, bubble tea! You weren't really an "eat" thing anyway, even though we both know I viewed you that way). Next on my list: making a crepe at home! Maybe I'll try this recipe.

{a jersey accent} So I've been watching the Next Great Baker a lot because it's ridiculous and cheesy and dumb and I sometimes wonder where he finds people who actually want to work with him and make ridiculous cakes that always have to look like something other than cake (which is a trend I wish would crawl up into a hole and die already). But! The other night, he was naming his top two and his bottom two in stage one of his crazy dumb challenges. Of the bottom two, he felt it necessary to name the "loser loser" and off we went into hilarious gags involving who or what would be the loozah loozah today or "blech! This cheese is the loozah loozah." So, I have to ask, are youze tha loozah loozah or dah winnah winnah?

{curls without heat} I wonder if this method would work on my hair... but even if it doesn't, I love how it looks with all of her hair tucked into the headband. So pretty!

{kristen bell} I've finally found an accurate description for the levels of my emotions. This video is too cute. (And can Kristen be my new best friend?)

{sun reflections} During the day, me and budgie (or Hermes if you'd like) go downstairs for breakfast brunch and it's usually at that moment, when the light is streaming in through the windows in the living room. So while I'm waiting for my water to boil (for tea) I pick up my iPod to play a little Words with Friends (I like that game very much), and the sun reflects off of it and on to the wall by budgie (because he has a little table where he sits). And this makes him go absolutely crazy. If you've seen those videos of cats chasing laser pointers (and I know you have because you're here, on the internet, too), then just apply that zeal to a budgie and you've just about got it. Maybe I'll take a video one of these days. He about breaks his neck off trying to follow it around the room.

 {february desktop wallpapers} Because I couldn't figure out a good wallpaper (i.e. I didn't have any acceptable-enough photos), I couldn't put together a wallpaper for you this month. To make up for that, here are the wallpapers I've saved and have put on rotation this month: love like whoa, pinkish purple sea, repeating hearts (I really like this one), heart bunting, and pink coral.