The best gifts are the thoughtful ones – made even better if they are lovingly handmade by your favourite person. So why not put aside some time to create something extra special for your valentine.
Here are a couple of simple but lovely ideas for personal Valentine’s Day gifts.
Card Making
We’ve created some card templates using our Lovebirds pattern for you to create your own Valentine's Day card. Possibly a sweet thing to do with your family for an afternoon this weekend.
Pick a template here to print off and start making. Get creative with layers of coloured paper and card - try folding paper hearts in half and glue down the central fold only, leaving the sides free from the paper for a 3D feel.
Or download and decorate on your tablet or computer to send a virtual Valentine’s Day gift.
Paper Puzzle Purse
Victorian puzzles purses were once a familiar means of exchanging romantic messages. With intricate origami style folds and delicate drawings of flowers, birds and hearts they are a lovely traditional way to send messages of adoration or perhaps conceal small gifts for the ones you love.
Use our handy step by step guide below to create a handmade puzzle purse for your Valentine.
Start with a square piece of paper. Fold it into thirds and then unfold.
Repeat in the opposite orientation. You should be left with the outline of 9 smaller squares. Write a message for you Valentine in the centre square.
Fold the paper in half on the diagonal to form a triangle. Unfold and repeat on the other orientation.
Turn the paper over. Bring crease A over-top crease B. Press firmly to form a new crease on the diagonal of the smaller square.
Repeat on the remaining 3 sides.
Turn the paper over and twist close the paper into a pinwheel.
First, re-enforce the 4 creases around the central square. As you do this, the 4 sides of the paper will rise up away from the central square. Twist these sides along their crease lines to form a pinwheel.
Write messages on the 4 arms of the pinwheel.
Fold the bottom arm of the pinwheel up (a). Continue to fold the arms anticlockwise inwards allowing them to overlap. Tuck the last arm (b) under a.
Draw or paint a design on top of the puzzle purse. Incorporate into your design which arm of the pinwheel needs to be opening first!
Puzzle Purse Love Token, c. 1790 (British Postal Museum), Puzzle Purse Valentine c. 1800, Free Library of Philadelphia
