By Ann Martin
Here’s a colorful card to make and send to your Valentine. It features the rolled paper craft called quilling and is simple enough for children to do. Chances are good that you already have all of the supplies on hand. You won’t even need a true quilling tool, as a pen and cocktail stick are fine substitutes.
The card should go through the mail without any problem, especially if you add a layer of bubble wrap over the flower before slipping it into an envelope. Send it early … the recipient may love the card enough to frame and display it as a Valentine’s Day decoration!
Materials
Cardstock – red
Patterned background paper – red/purple/white, cardstock or text weight
Solid color paper – light purple, dark purple, cardstock or text weight
Paper cutter
Glue stick – to adhere layers
Glue – any liquid glue that dries clear
Pen or pencil
Round cocktail stick
Scissors
Ruler
Tweezers
Damp cloth
Waxed paper or other nonstick surface, use as glue palette
Directions
Step 1: Make card: Cut a 6″ x 8″ piece of red cardstock. Score and fold card at midline of 8″ measurement to make a card that measures 4″ x 6″, suitable to fit a standard-size frame.
Step 2: Cut a rectangle of patterned background paper slightly smaller than the card front, allowing a 1/8″ border around outer edges. Center the rectangle and adhere it with the glue stick.
Step 3: Cut a dark purple rectangle, allowing a 1/2″ border around outer edges. Center it on the patterned paper and adhere with the glue stick.
Step 4: Make heart flower: Cut four 1/8″ x 6″ strips of red cardstock. (I like to upcycle junk mail whenever possible, so I made strips from an old postcard.)
Fold strip in half and curve each side inward by running it across an open scissors blade as if curling ribbon. This step breaks the paper fibers a tiny bit and will give the heart a nice, rounded shape.
Step 5: Moisten thumb and index finger on a damp cloth or paper towel and roll each end inward around a pen or pencil, creating heart shape (make 4).
Position four hearts to make flower. Apply a tiny amount of glue with the tip of a cocktail stick where the sides of hearts touch, and also where the top scrolls meet.
Step 6: Make flower center: Cut a 1/8″ x 6″ strip of dark purple paper. Dampen thumb and index finger and roll strip on a cocktail stick.
Tip: Roll the paper, not the stick.
Allow coil to relax and slide it off the stick. Glue end to coil.
Step 7: Spread a shallow puddle of glue on a piece of waxed paper. Hold coil with tweezers and dip underside in puddle. Place coil in the center of heart flower.
Step 8: Make flower stem: Cut a 1/8″ x 3″ light purple stem, cutting the lower end at an angle. Glue it on the midline of the dark purple rectangle.
Step 9: Apply glue to the center back of flower and place it atop the stem.
Step 10: Make leaf: Cut a 1/2″ x 1 1/4″ rectangle of light purple paper. Fold in half lengthwise, hold fold and cut a curved shape along opposite side to resemble a half-leaf. With leaf still folded, hold fold and snip small fringed cuts along edge.
Step 11: Apply a small amount of glue to back of opened leaf along the fold line/spine and place it on the flower stem at an angle.
About the Author:
Ann Martin of all things paper is a quilling enthusiast who loves introducing the craft to others. She teaches, designs projects for books and magazines, and is especially hooked on making paper filigree jewelry.
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