Up All Night

A Scrappy Happy Valentine's Day to You

I hope I never out grow the anticipation of Valentine's Day. Will there be red and pink envelopes in my mailbox? Will I receive a heart shaped box of chocolate candy, or the iconic Whitman's Sampler? Are roses too much to hope for? 

Just as I often do this time of year, I spent time last weekend making Valentine cards. And as a paper addict, yes I confess, I dug into my stash of scraps. I keep all sizes of scrap paper, plus other paper items like pretty cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, restaurant placemats ...

With so many options of scraps from Designer Series Papers, I experimented with a design I saw Demonstrator Lyssa Zwolanek feature on her blog during the holidays. The only measurement needed is 1 inch ~ cut a mess of one inch squares from coordinating papers and you're off.

For a standard size 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card, cut a white panel of 4 x 5 1/4. Gauge the center of the panel and lay out a horizontal row of squares set on the diagonal. Glue it down, leaving a sliver of a white margin between the squares.  Add a second row on the top or bottom. Keep going. 

The squares will not evenly cover the base. That's ok - let them hang off the side. Just add rows of different patterns as you please until you have covered the entire panel.

When you turn over your panel, you will see the over hanging pieces ~ just slice them off all around the card and you will have a lovely paper quilted Valentine. The over hanging pieces may be sticky depending on the glue you use and how neat you are; you may want to use older, but sharp, scissors to trim.

And your piecing is complete. Honestly the hardest part of this design is choosing the papers, maybe if you did not have as many to choose from, but that will never be me.

Attach the panel to the front of your base card. The next hardest decision: does it need more on the front? Flowers, hearts, ribbon, pearls, a large sentiment?

Sometimes I hate to cover up pretty background papers, but these two hearts work nicely. 

And I think I will add a bow ...

Don't throw away even an inch of scrap paper!

If you try this yourself, show me! It doesn't need to be Valentines, any pretty paper for any reason at all. If you need more pretty papers, look at the variety of Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! : click on Shop Now and search Designer Series Paper.

Let's stamp!