These handmade Valentine’s Day cards, with the intention of making your loved one feel seen, and appreciated, are a fun DIY craft. Made with watercolors, these cards require little to no artistic abilities yet will turn out beautifully.
Did you know that in the 19th century you could purchase a booklet filled with sample texts to help you write a Valentine’s Day card? In the event that someone didn’t know how to express their love through words, these books called “Valentine’s Writers” helped them to put their love down on paper!
In fact, the oldest handmade Valentine’s Day card on record came from the Duke Of Orleans in 1415. He wrote to his wife from the Tower of London while he was in prison. Wow!
The tradition of sending affection through handmade Valentine’s Day cards certainly goes way back. There’s something sweet and sentimental about taking the time to make one yourself!
For this reason, we’ve made 3 handmade Valentine’s Day card tutorials! These handmade Valentine’s Day cards with watercolors may appear to be difficult, but rather they are very easy to make. I promise you don’t have to be Bob Ross in order to make your love a sweet card this year!
Supplies You May Need
Watercolors -I got this set off of amazon for under 10 dollars! Paintbrushes are also included which is a bonus.
Paint brushes-Try to buy a watercolor set that comes with paintbrushes!
Watercolor cards/paper
Micro Pens-Here is a full micron pen set, however I only used size 01, 03, and 05.
Heart shaped stamp-This set of stamps is actually for children, but it comes with a heart shape stamp that has worked great for me!
Ruler
Pencil
Paper towels
Water bowl
3 Easy Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards
Hearts All Over
This first card is perfect for those of you who love traditional Valentine’s Day colors and themes!
Step 1: First, dip a paintbrush in water and lightly paint a layer of water over the entire card. This will help the colors to blend better with one another.
Step 2: Next, paint a layer of color over the entire card. I chose to use different shades of red and pink, also making the bottom section darker than the top. Since the top section will be covered in hearts, I made it lighter so the hearts will pop more. Let it dry.
Step 3: Here’s the fun part! Take the heart stamp and paint it with your color of choice. Personally, I started out with a light pink. After this, start stamping over the top section of the page. You’ll repeat this several times with a variety of colors, so don’t cover the entire section yet.
Step 4: Repeat step 3 until you have the amount of hearts you prefer. Use 2-3 different shades of red and/or pink. To make the hearts stand out, dip a paintbrush in a bit of water and then fill in each heart a little bit more. On the other hand, you can keep the hearts faded if you like that look, too. Set the paper aside to dry.
Step 5: Once the card has dried completely, use a micro pen, probably size 3, to write a cute message on the bottom. Mine says “you are loved.” Write something that your significant other will appreciate! If free-hand writing isn’t your thing, a pre written stamp or stencil would work great for this part as well.
Mason Jar Heart Bouquet
A classic twist on the typical handmade Valentine’s Day Cards you might see! I love how there’s a little less pink in this card. The blue is a sweet pop of color!
Step 1: You’ll start by sketching out the mason jar drawing with a pencil. Draw two lines parallel with one another. Then, draw connecting lines on the top and bottom with small curves around the corner. Create a rim affect by drawing 2 lines directly underneath the top. After this, add a bow on the rim by drawing two oval loops with one end connecting. Plus, add two small lines coming out of the bow. Also, add lines on either side of the jar to show creasing/a rounded shape!
Step 2: Once you have the drawing solidified in pencil, trace over it with a size 3 or 5 micro pen.
Step 3: Third, dip a paintbrush in water and then use the color white to paint a light layer inside the jar. Once you have a thin layer of white, add shades of blue to create a water effect in the jar. Let the paint dry.
Step 4: Next, use the heart stamp to add hearts in a bouquet shape above the jar drawing. To do this, paint the stamp with a color and then stamp the hearts on the page. Use 2-3 different shades of pinks/reds to create a variety. Just like with the previous card, you can fill the hearts in with a little more paint and water if you want the color to be more vibrant. Let the hearts dry.
Step 4: Whenever the hearts are dry, use a size 3 micro pen to trace them. Draw straight lines from the bottom of the hearts to the top of the jar. This will look like the hearts have “stems” to go along with the bouquet theme.
I love you
Your love won’t be doubted with this sweet “I love you” card!
Step 1: Place the ruler directly in the center of the card. You’re going to create a “blotchy” pattern by dabbling a paper towel over the top and bottom. So, paint a layer of water over the card. After this, add layers of pink and red with the lighter layers closer to the center.
Step 2: Next, dab the paper towel over the colors to blend them all together. Try to work around the ruler so that the middle section stays white. Now let the paint dry.
Step 3: Once the paint has dried, use the size 5 micro pen to draw two straight lines where the paint sections end. It’s like creating a border for the white section in the middle.
Step 4: Lastly, write a sweet little phrase all over the middle section either free-handing it or with a pre-written stamp. As can be seen, I chose to write I love you in cursive!
FAQs
Does watercolor work on cardstock?
Yes, watercolor paints will work on cardstock! While watercolor paper will help to absorb watercolor paints and may be better for blending, cardstock paper is a great alternative if you don’t have any watercolor paper on hand.
What to write in a Valentine’s Day card that isn’t cheesy?
- Describe in detail a special memory you have with them!
- Make a list of the reasons why you love them. Being on the receiving end of this is so encouraging!
- Write about areas you’ve seen them grow/improve in, praising them for how far they have come.
- Give them a “vision board” of what you hope the next 5, 10, 15, etc. years will look like together.
- Simply write, “I love you!”
- Let them know ways the they have helped you to grow/become a better person since you’ve known them.
- Print out pictures, glue them into the card, and write a small caption for each one as to why you chose the photo.
- If you’re married, write out your wedding vows again to renew your commitment to one another.
- Write about what makes them such a good partner for you.
- Share a list of some of your favorite things to do together.
Can you use watercolor on a card?
Handmade cards with watercolors is a great craft idea! To ensure that you have the best outcome, make sure you use watercolor paper for your cards.
What is a short sweet Valentine’s quote?
“Home is wherever I’m with you.”
Leave a comment below!
Finally, did you find this handmade Valentine’s Day cards post helpful? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Let me know which card you plan to make and who you’re giving it to! Happy Valentine’s Day!
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