diy block print valentine’s day cards

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work. 

The holiday of love is upon us! Say what you will, but I love Valentine’s Day. I loved it when I was single, and I love it now that I’m in a long-term relationship. It’s an excuse to express one of the world’s most important emotions. Love for your mother, for your friends, for you significant other, for anyone who supports you through this life. Where would we be without love?

I also stand behind the belief that it doesn’t take a lot to express; the simplest acts can show someone what they mean to you. Putting a little work into a handmade gift is the ultimate gesture. It doesn’t take a lot of money, but it does take time and effort. The act of physically creating a gift for someone embodies thought. The end effect is much more personal and meaningful. 

So this Valentine’s Day, I want to introduce you to a medium you’ve maybe never experimented with: block printing. It’s really fun, and holds a world of possibilities. Dream up any design you’d like and then follow the principles below or simply download the patterns I’ve handmade and recreate those. Either way, enjoy the process, get creative with it, and tell the people around you how much they mean to you. 

What You’ll Need:

4” x 6” Rubber Printing Blocks

Roller or Acrylic Brayer

Lino Cutter with Changeable Heads

Tracing Paper

Soft Artist’s Pencil (2B or 4B is will work best)

Acrylic Paint

4” x 6” Blank Card

Pre-Made Patterns:

Download “I Love Us” Pattern Here

Download “Damn Girl” Pattern Here

Process:

1. Trace your pattern onto on tracing paper using a soft pencil. 

2. Flip the pattern over, and place it on your rubber printing block. Make sure that any words appear backwards to you. 

3. Trace over the lines of your pattern using a pencil and be careful not to move the paper around. This will transfer your pencil marks onto the printing block, so that you have guidelines for carving. 

4. Using your lino cutter, begin cutting into the rubber block, following the lines you’ve made for yourself. You can adjust the line cutter heads whether you’re cutting out a big or small area. An important rule to note is that every area you cut away will be negative space, while the areas you leave will represent color.

5. Once you’re happy with your carving, clean off debris, and set aside.

6. Squeeze a small amount of acrylic paint on a flat palette - you can use palette paper, plastic, a scrap magazine, tracing paper, cardboard, or anything along those lines.

7. Roll brayer in paint until evenly coated.

8. Roll brayer across block print to cover with a thin layer of paint.

9. Flip block print over and print onto your blank card. I like to line up the edges, and then set the whole block down at once. Evenly apply pressure across the back with your fingers. Make sure you press hard around where any words or fine detail appear. The process usually takes me a minute or two.

10. Evenly remove block print and unveil your creation. Should take 5-10 minutes to dry.

diy nature-inspired gift wrap

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

Years fly by. We talk about them as if they last forever, but in reality they are mere dots on a timeline. Thank goodness for holidays that mark a point in the year, for without them, we might not take a moment to stop and realize where we are. 

Where are we? First and foremost, we’re surrounded by people who support us each and everyday. Friends and family who allow us to stretch beyond ourselves to achieve something better, who support our dreams, and who are there when we need a shoulder to cry on. 

That is why I love this time of year. It’s a time to say thank you. Thank you for being my support and thank you for loving me. 

When you go to package up that gift of thanks, let it reflect all the love and gratitude that you truly feel. Pick something special that shows thoughtfulness, make something with your own two hands, and don’t forget about the presentation of the package. Go a little extra mile with the gift wrap and make that gift scream I love you. 

Here are three gift wrap ideas to get you started, each inspired by my favorite, Mother Nature.

Gift 1

Materials

Small Pine Cone

Gold Acrylic Paint

White Wrapping Paper

Paint Brush

Water Cup + Water

Paint Dish

Gorilla Glue

Tape

Directions

1. Paint your pine cone gold by adding acrylic paint to the tips of each little “leaf.” Let dry.

2. Wrap your gift in white paper.

3. Glue pine cone to the center of the package.

Gift 2

Materials

1/2 Lemon

Brown Kraft Wrapping Paper

Red Acrylic Paint

Paint Brush

Water Cup + Water

Paint Dish

Ribbon of choice

Tape

Directions

1. For this one, you essentially create a stamp out of the lemon. Paint it with the red paint and test it a few times on a scrap piece of paper until you realize the sweet spot of how much paint and how much pressure you need to apply. 

2. Once you have it down, tape the piece of wrapping paper to your surface and stamp alternating rows. Let dry.

3. Wrap your gift. Finish with ribbon.

Gift 3

Materials

Roving

White Wrapping Paper

Feather

Tape

Directions

1. Wrap your gift first with paper.

2. Wrap roving around the gift to cover approximately 1/3. Secure both ends of the roving with clear tape on the back of your gift.

3. Finish off by sliding a feather into the roving.

weekly scenes

The indoors are getting cozy. Do you feel it?

Winter has moved her way in, making morning toast and heartfelt gifts all the more warming to the soul.

Not that I don't enjoy nature in winter. Oh, very contrary. 

She's quiet. She's exposed. She's beautiful.

But she's cold. And she circles her cool breeze around pockets of warmth, creating small cocoons for living creatures to find refuge.

Bright lights ignite rooms while snow crystals fall outside the window.

Four walls are a tightly wrapped blanket of love, light, and happiness.

Here, we find our comfort and what it means to be cozy.