News Trend My 2018 Handmade Valentines|Actual

"I'm like the kid in kindergarten. I really do send Valentines to everyone."

-Susie Bright

Me too, Susie. Me too

I find few things as satisfying as gathering up bits of paper and bottles of paint, and busting out a flurry of Valentines at my kitchen table.

This year's batch was easy, fast, and fun.

I ripped watercolor paper into postcard-sized pieces.

I painted each card three times:

The first time, I covered the whole card with pink or red watercolor.

The second time, I added the same color to the bottom two-thirds of the card.

And the third time, I painted just the bottom third.

In order to get the crisp lines between the graduated colors, I patiently let each layer dry before I added the next.

That's a lie.

I may have waited. But I guarantee that I did not wait patiently.

Watercolor makes me crazy with all the waiting for layers to dry. But, as I must constantly remind myself, it's always worth the wait.

Once the watercolor layers were dry - and I mean thoroughly dry, out came the gold acrylic paint and a small, pointy brush.

The small, pointy brushes never stay properly pointy for long. Their bristles tend to wobble and spread, and again, if we're being honest, I'd rather just go buy a new one than try to coax an old timer to shape up and get the job done right.

I bought a new one for this project.

To really get top notch saturation on my gold Xs and Os, I double-coated sections of the letters as needed.

The Valentine manufacturing process is not for the faint of heart.

More dying time. Lots more drying time.

We ate dinner in the dining room for the better part of the week.

But in good time, my creations were ready to be tucked into envelopes and mailed off across the world.

Which is just as it should be. Love is meant to be shared, and Valentine's Day is the perfect time for me to remind all the people in my life that they matter.

And that is why, just like a kid in kindergarten,  I send Valentines to everyone I know.

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Every year, I make my own Valentines and every year, they're just a little bit different:

2019 Valentines

My 2018 Handmade Valentines

2014 Draw This: Watercolor Valentines

2013 Valentines: Take Heart

2012 Handmade Valentine Love