RD.COM Valentine's Day
Lucie TurkelUpdated: Feb. 03, 2024
Surprise your sweetheart with one of these totally unique, utterly ingenious DIY Valentine's Day card ideas
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Handmade and heartfelt Valentine’s Day card ideas
Valentine’s Day is the ultimate opportunity to tell someone exactly how you feel about them. And there’s no better way to do that than with a handmade card. Heartfelt and personal, DIY Valentine cards will tug at just about anyone’s heartstrings, whether it’s your one true love, your little ones or the friends who keep you company when you’re spending the holiday solo.
These cute, clever Valentine’s Day card ideas are quick and simple to make, and they require minimal materials and expertise. Sounds like a DIY project we can all get behind! So whether you’re creating some of the funniest Valentine’s Day cards or getting crafty with printable Valentine’s day cards, we have the heartfelt, homemade Valentine’s Day idea for you. Happy crafting!
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Explosion Box Valentine’s Day card
One of our favorite Valentine’s Day card ideas is this explosion box. It’s not your run-of-the-mill Valentine’s Day card; it’s a burst of romantic creativity waiting to happen. Once you snag this box, the canvas is yours to transform with stickers, doodles, pictures and more!
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Secret Message frame Valentine’s Day cards
Feeling like your love story deserves more than just one card? If so, you’ll love this idea. Download and print the template, and channel your inner artist by folding and cutting out the shapes (then the decorating begins!). Why settle for one card when you can have a whole collection, neatly displayed for your partner to cherish?
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Scratch-off Valentine’s Day cards
Spice up your Valentine’s Day card with this fun scratch-off idea. Grab a pen or pencil, jot down your heartfelt message in the rectangular box, then cover your message with the sticker provided. When your Valentine scratches the card, your message will be revealed!
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Heart wand Valentine’s Day card
Letter stickers, craft paint and wood hearts are really all you need to create these adorable (and shall we say magical?) heart wands. Decorate the wands with your partner’s initials and use a Sharpie to write a loving note on one side.
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Origami heart Valentine’s Day card
Paper hearts are oh so cute, and in origami style they’ll look even cuter! For this Valentine’s Day card idea, make your origami hearts, then glue them to your card before writing your Cupid-approved message.
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String heart Valentine’s Day card
Don’t worry. You don’t need to know how to sew or crochet to DIY these Valentine’s Day cards. Once you get your supplies, including colorful yarn and a threading needle, punch holes into your card and start threading your heart using a template (the blogger used a heart-shaped cookie cutter).
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Necklace Valentine’s Day cards
This Valentine’s Day card idea doubles as a gift! DIY Valentine’s Day-themed necklaces, bracelets, flair pins and more to attach to these printable cards.
Paint chip heart Valentine’s Day card
DIY Valentine cards are more fun when they’re original, cute and relatively cheap. After all, inexpensive gifts (think: mini boxes of chocolate) rank among the classics. This craftgoes above and beyond: It’s free! To recycle your paint chips, trace a heart at the base of the chip and cut. To create an ombré effect, glue down the hearts from lightest to darkest (or the reverse) on a piece of card stock.
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I pick you Valentine’s Day card
What’s most impressive about these silly Valentine’s Day card ideas (besides their design) is that after you download and print the template, you’re basically done. Cut out the nostril and puncture with a treat like Pixy Stix to complete the look. This would make a cute accompaniment to a Valentine’s gift for men or young kids.
Pretty pair Valentine’s Day cards
This punny take on DIY Valentine cards will knock your socks off. Print the free graphic, punch a hole at the top and add twine before affixing it to your favorite set of socks. Want to go a more romantic route? Write a love quote on the flip side for a special surprise.
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S’more Valentine’s Day cards
Satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth with these cute DIY Valentine cards that double as little gifts. Fill the bags with s’mores essentials—a couple of graham crackers, a mini chocolate bar and a jumbo marshmallow, none of which comes with the kit. Apply the stickers, and say “happy Valentine’s Day” in the sweetest of ways.
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Eye love you Valentine’s Day cards
If you’re giving someone a Valentine’s Day card, it’s pretty clear that you’ve had your eye on them for a while now. Show that with this fun magnifying-glass-themed card. Print out a picture of a funny Valentine’s Day meme to slip inside for more fun!
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Tic-tac-toe Valentine’s Day card
The romantic holiday wouldn’t be complete without Valentine’s Day card ideas featuring this beloved game of X’s (kisses) and O’s (hugs). Take your significant other out to a romantic restaurant and play this while you wait for dessert.
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Conversation hearts Valentine’s Day cards
Here’s a crafty card for kids and adults alike. Start with the downloadable card. Print it out, add it to a sandwich bag and toss in some candy conversation hearts. Kids will have fun sorting the colors to match the hearts on the rainbow, and adults will appreciate the sugar rush. Get extra crafty by printing your own Valentine’s stickers to seal the bag.
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Paper airplane Valentine’s Day card
Love really is in the air with these creative Valentine’s Day card ideas, where the card doubles as a paper airplane. Download the design, print it out, then follow the included instructions to fold your love note (or Valentine’s Day joke) into a pretty paper plane.
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Out-of-this-world Valentine’s Day cards
Is your valentine absolutely out of this world (or are they celebrating Valentine’s Day based on their zodiac sign)? If so, look no further than these space-themed printable cards, which show there’s no one in the galaxy quite like them. Download, print and cut them into hearts, then add your favorite lollipops.
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Artsy paintbrush Valentine’s Day cards
It’s time to paint the town red—for love, that is. These paintbrush-shaped DIY Valentine cards are perfect for creative types. Buy some cheap mini paint sets from your local party store, then tie them on to amp up the fun factor.
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Cookie craft Valentine’s Day card
What goes together better than milk and cookies? You and your partner, of course. Celebrate the ultimate dynamic duo with this fun Valentine’s Day card idea. Step 1: Download and print. Step 2: Bake (or buy) mini cookies in your design of choice, place each in a small plastic bag and attach them to the card.
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Punny bird Valentine’s Day card
Does your crush love a good Valentine’s Day pun? Well, the early bird catches the worm—and receives their gifts on time. But procrastinators can stop worrying about last-minute gifts with these punny cards. Because the design is downloadable, there’s no wait for shipping. Just print, cut and add extras, like colorful pencils.
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Glittery heart Valentine’s Day card
Add some glitz and glam this year with this heartfelt Valentine’s Day card idea. The more glitter the better!
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XOXO Valentine’s Day card
More hugs and kisses, please! This love-themed card is one of the best Valentine’s Day card ideas to celebrate your love story. Plus, it’ll surely have your significant other asking for more.
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Layered heart Valentine’s Day card
Love has many layers—just like these DIY Valentine cards. The final product will look absolutely gorgeous, but it’s simple enough for a beginner crafter to complete.
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Dogs before dudes Valentine’s Day card
Maybe you’re not feeling particularly romantic this Valentine’s Day. We’ve got one of the best Valentine’s Day card ideas for that! Even if you’re not single on Valentine’s Day, you can appreciate the sentiment: Dogs before dudes, always.
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Mason jar shaker Valentine’s Day card
Shake, shake, shake your love this Valentine’s Day with this sparkly, handmade Valentine’s Day card. While glitter may get everywhere, it’ll remain a lasting testament to your heartfelt effort. (Pro tip: Chunky glitter makes for easier cleanup.)
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Watercolor Valentine’s Day cards
Your loved ones will be blown away with your artistic abilities when they see these watercolor-based cards. The best part? They’re as easy to make as they are impressive to look at.
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Falling hearts Valentine’s Day card
All you need for this easy Valentine’s Day card idea are some heart-shaped stickers (or hearts cut from wrapping paper), a pen and card stock. The dotted lines drawn from the stickers to the top of the card will give the craft a simple yet sophisticated look.
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Old-fashioned Valentine’s Day cards
If you plan to make a bunch of Valentine’s Day cards, this is the crafting kit for you. It includes paper, card stock, envelopes, sequins, ribbon, twine and more. Make DIYing these cards fun by invite your besties over for a glass of wine and a Galentine’s Day card-making party.
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A-doh-able Valentine’s Day cards
Whether you’re celebrating with young ones or the young at heart, show your love with a printable card that looks way fancier than it is. Once you’ve printed the design, cut where noted, then slide a mini tub of Play-Doh (not included) through the hole.
3D hearts Valentine’s Day card
Watch your sweetie’s heart flutter at the sight of this fun and easy-to-craft card. Go wild with different paper patterns—it adds to the fun. And don’t worry if you don’t have a sewing machine. You can accomplish the same effect with carefully placed glue.
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Watercolor painting Valentine’s Day cards
You don’t have to be Georgia O’Keeffe to create gorgeous watercolor cards; you just need this kit. It comes with envelopes, outlined cards and a watercolor palette you can use to paint them. The finished product is worthy of a frame.
Originally Published: January 13, 2022
Lucie Turkel
Lucie Turkel is a lifestyle and culture writer covering the latest in holidays, books, movies and television, and e-commerce for RD.com. She graduated with an individualized major in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies from the University of Connecticut.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I'm a knowledgeable enthusiast with a deep understanding of DIY crafts and creative projects, including handmade cards for special occasions like Valentine's Day. I have extensive experience in crafting and have explored various techniques and ideas for creating unique and heartfelt cards. My expertise in this area allows me to provide valuable insights and recommendations for individuals looking to express their creativity through personalized and thoughtful card-making.
DIY Valentine's Day Card Ideas
Valentine's Day is a wonderful opportunity to express love and affection through handmade cards. Here are some unique and creative DIY Valentine's Day card ideas:
Explosion Box Valentine’s Day Card
- This explosion box is a burst of romantic creativity that can be personalized with stickers, doodles, and pictures.
- The canvas is yours to transform with minimal materials and expertise.
- Tutorial available for creating this unique card.
Secret Message Frame Valentine’s Day Cards
- Download and print the template to create a collection of cards with hidden messages.
- Channel your inner artist by folding, cutting out shapes, and decorating the cards.
Scratch-off Valentine’s Day Cards
- Add a fun twist to your Valentine's Day card by including a scratch-off area to reveal a heartfelt message.
- The card comes with a sticker to cover the message before scratching.
Heart Wand Valentine’s Day Card
- Create adorable heart wands using letter stickers, craft paint, and wood hearts.
- Personalize the wands with your partner’s initials and a loving note.
Origami Heart Valentine’s Day Card
- Make origami hearts and glue them to the card before writing a Cupid-approved message.
String Heart Valentine’s Day Card
- Create charming Valentine’s Day cards using colorful yarn and a threading needle.
- Punch holes into the card and start threading a heart using a template.
Necklace Valentine’s Day Cards
- These cards double as a gift and can be personalized with DIY Valentine’s Day-themed necklaces, bracelets, and flair pins.
Paint Chip Heart Valentine’s Day Card
- Recycle paint chips to create an original and cute Valentine’s Day card.
- Trace a heart at the base of the chip, cut it out, and glue the hearts onto a piece of card stock for an ombré effect.
I Pick You Valentine’s Day Card
- Download and print the template to create a cute Valentine’s Day card.
- Cut out the nostril and puncture with a treat like Pixy Stix to complete the look.
Pretty Pair Valentine’s Day Cards
- Print a free graphic, punch a hole at the top, and add twine before affixing it to a set of socks.
- Write a love quote on the flip side for a special surprise.
These are just a few examples of the creative and heartfelt DIY Valentine's Day card ideas available for crafting enthusiasts. Each idea offers a unique and personal touch to express love and affection on this special day.
