happy valentine’s day!
Despite this being my first year having a romantic partner to call my Valentine, I have always loved this holiday. I adore the menagerie of pink, red, lace, sparkles, bows, sweets, and lipstick stains. I love making handmade cards—a big thank you to my momma who loves scrapbooking and taught me everything she knows <3—and when given any excuse to spoil the people I am most grateful for in my life, I'll take it. Recently, scrapbooking has exploded in popularity online. "Junk journaling" has become the newest term in use. Australia-based artist and author Martina Calvi wrote The Art Of Memory Collecting, a guide with "15 creative projects that will inspire you to preserve memories and indulge your sentimental, crafty side," which has been flying off the shelves. Her content on Instagram has spread in popularity and serves as my inspiration for this article. I am so happy people are finding joy in scrapbooking and crafting. Seeing everyone's creations has been a big source of inspiration for me. I find new ideas daily, and that is SO fun as an artist; it keeps the creativity flowing. I wanted to share some fun project ideas that you can make for yourself, your family, your friends, or your significant other!
1. Mini zine
First up we have a mini zine. A zine is short for “magazine” and often revolves around one subject and features art, poems, pictures, lists, and more. You can spin this in many ways, but specifically for Valentine’s Day, think about making one about your partner, or your memories together, or just fun little doodles to flip from page to page. Play with colors, sticking to one concise palette or utilizing the entire rainbow, shapes varying in size, and little adornments like gems or stickers. Let your creativity flow and don’t be too hard on yourself; DIY adds to the sentimental touch! Follow Martina’s guide below.
2. Eclectic Valentine
Next up we have a twist on a traditional 4×6 or 5×7 store-bought greeting card. For these, think about ways you can play with shapes, like these oblong hearts user fiorenza_art made, linked below! You can try a star, a circle, or even a kiss! Things don’t have to be perfect; embrace the uniqueness. You can add doodles like the horse and rabbit, maybe a teddy bear or a cherub cupid, or a sweet quote from a song you love. You can also play with moving parts like in the videos linked below; I really love the peekaboo picture idea. Even better, mash both ideas together! Don’t forget all of the adornments! Top it off by sealing it in an envelope with a sticker or even a lipstick stain!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DFsyPprPlE0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/DF53NLOhSdx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
3. Memory/Trinket box
If you are anything like me, you like to collect little notes, receipts, stamps, postcards, photos, and other trinkets from things you do with people you love. This memory/trinket box is a perfect place to hold all of those items! The fun bit is you can vary the size of the box depending on your desired outcome. Martina shows a box made out of an old Altoids mints tin, but you could also use a shoe box or a shaped craft box from a craft store. Fill it with all of those items and then decorate the outside with paint, markers, paper, stickers, gems, glitter, or photos. Then wrap it with a bow and gift it to your partner or best friend, and you all can add to it when you get them!
4. Framed collage
Finally, you can take some of the items from your memory box and frame them as a piece of art to hang on your wall or gift to a loved one. You can use patterned paper or fabric as a background and then adhere your items in an arrangement to your liking. Things like concert tickets, photos, receipts, letters, and small flat trinkets like bows, guitar picks, and stamps are great for this project! Look up “framed collage art” on Pinterest for inspiration if you get stuck!
One thing I can’t emphasize enough is exploring ideas and inspiration online! Pinterest is my favorite place to find inspiration; simply putting these crafts into the search should give you ample results to utilize! Give these crafts a try and surprise those you love with a sentimental, handmade gift this Valentine’s Day! Who knows, you may just find your next true love in crafting :)
With much love,
G