Valentine's Cards

I'm so excited! You might remember that I participated in the Valentine's Day card swap hosted by Little Birdie Secrets and I got my batch of cards yesterday. They are so pretty and so varied, I just love them. During the next few days, I'll show you the cards I received so you can see what clever ideas people have. Whenever possible, I'll include a link to the blog of the person who made the cards, but in some cases, they remained completely anonymous, so I have no way to say thank-you! That is really a shame, because these are some beautiful cards!

So, without further ado, here are some of the cards I received in exchange for the cards I made:

This one is by Sweet Pea and Beans Etsy Shop, where she sells stationery and invitations. Check her stuff out at: www.sweetpeaandbeans.etsy.com. I don't know if you can see it, but she sewed a fabric heart onto the cardstock on top of ribbon and netting. It is so pretty. I love the tropical print of the heart fabric and know just who I'm sending the card to. (If you don't feel like making your own cards, head over to her Etsy shop and pick up some of the stuff she's got ready for you.)


Here is Buttercup's favorite card. This one was made by Chris at This is Chris Now. I don't know where she found the time to make such beautiful cards - she has two teenagers and triplets! When you look inside, it says "Sweet", to complete the sentence started on the front of the card: "You Are So....Sweet". The center of the flower is a little brad and each one of the little circles on the green paper is accented with glitter. The sweet little ribbon on the bottom adds just the right touch to the whimsical papers she chose.

I loved this card. I don't know if you can tell, but the pink heart in the center of this card is like corrugated card board...it adds an awesome texture to the card, especially combined with the silky white ribbon and the glossy embossed "Celebrate" below. Both are raised off the card surface, for that three dimensional effect. Unfortunately, I have no idea who made this card, but I'm trying to find out, so I can say "thanks!".

The last card I'm showing you today was the favorite of the neighbor girls, who oooh'd and aaaah'd over all the cards as I pulled them out. The inside of the card reads "Love puts the fun in together." The decorated envelope was just perfect. Both were made by Tami at Heart and Rose and it is just so pretty. When I read Tami's blog, she admitted that she, too, stepped out of her comfort zone to do this swap (phew! I wasn't the only one!) I'd say she did a fabulous job. This card actually didn't photograph as beautifully as it looks in "real life" . The striped paper has a slightly metallic sheen to it, and the hearts are all on the foamy things that bring them away from the card's surface, adding more dimension that the camera picked up. Also, the little black heart has hand-applied red dots to its edges to add a little oomph. Finally, the tiny grosgrain ribbon is the perfect accent and keeps it from being too austere.

Aren't these cards just beautiful? I feel so blessed to have been part of this card swap. I'll show you more of the cards I received tomorrow, but I thought you'd love a peek now.