3-D Balloon Valentine Cards

What's not to love about love! Up, up and away with it!

Do you like to make handmade Valentine's, too? We're starting up our production now and I'm really in love with our first pair. (Maybe it's because of all of the fun we had taking the photos!) They're just so simple and so much fun.  If you're a regular reader, you know that I love 2-in-1 cards and gifts. Who doesn't like red a balloon, after all? If you'd like to know how to make these, too, just continue below.

How to:

1. Take a photo of your child with one of their arms outstretched. It's fun: just direct the kids to act as though they are reaching for a balloon or floating away --- aim, shoot and laugh. Photo tip: Frame your child with a lot of white space above them and with their feet as low to the bottom of the photo, as possible.  I wanted a clean card so I took our photos against a white wall with white flooring. The background was easily Photoshopped away. If you don't use Photoshop, just take a photo of your child against a plain background keeping their feet on as low in the frame as possible.  I ran out of time, but had planned to take a photo on top of a hill with lots and lots of sky, too. I think that could be really cute. If any one tries this, will you send me a peak!? I'd love to see what you do. 

2. Add text to the photo, if desired, and print the photo onto the front side of your card stock. If you don't have a printer, you could, alternatively: print a 4 x 6 photo, glue it onto the card and proceed with the following directions. (I added calligraphy at this point , but, also left a few blank so that the kids could write in their own greetings. Again, if you don't have a printer: handwriting adds such originality.)

3.  Decide the angle you would like the balloon and it's now time to cut the slits for it.  If you look at the top girl example, I made slit #1: above the hand and #2: below the hand with my xacto knife. I widened the slits, as well --- making each slit about 1/3 " x 1/16" (10 mm x 2mm.) If you have a hole punch, this would work, as well, too.

4. Carefully, carefully, draw the balloon through the slits in the card.

5. Place it in the envelope and you're ready!

Up, up with love ... and red balloons!

Something you might like:
Valentine's Handprint Cards
Valentine Pocket Gift Wrap and Present
Valentine's Gum Drop Activity
Camp Grayson's Birthday Party

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