In my opinion, the best kind of handmade card is one that surprises you! In today’s tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a card that features a folded heart tied together with string. When the recipient unties the string, the heart folds out to reveal a special message!
First and foremost, I’d like to say that this idea was inspired by my immensely talented friend, Phyllis Macaluso. (If you don’t follow her on Instagram, you are really missing out; she is so creative!) A few weeks ago, I received a beautiful handmade card from her featuring a heart similar to the one that I am showing you how to make today. Here is what Phyllis’ card looks like:
When you undo the string, this is what the inside reveals:
Completely inspirational, right? I’m not completely sure of Phyllis’ process, but the steps outlined below will render you a very similar folded heart!
How to Make the Folded Heart
First, start with a 3″ x 3″ (76 mm x 76 mm) square of printer or scrap paper.
Fold that piece of paper in half, then draw half of a heart on one side of the paper using any writing utensil.
Hold both sides of the folded paper together, and cut the pieces along the line you drew, as shown below.
Unfold your cut paper, and you’ve got a heart!
Next, take any piece of scrap paper or card stock and use your heart cutout to trace four hearts onto it. You’ll want to make sure all of the hearts’ tips are touching, as shown in the photo below. It’s okay if their sides overlap a bit, too.
The end result will resemble a four-leaf clover.
Now, cut out your four-leaf clover shape. Congratulations — you now have a folded heart template!
At this point, you’ll want to designate a piece of paper that you’d like to fold into a heart. I have chosen some printed scrapbook paper that I purchased at a local arts and crafts shop.
Turn the paper around (my card stock is white on its non-printed side; it’s okay if yours is not), and use a pencil to trace around the heart template.
Cut the paper along the pencil lines; that will leave you with a shape that looks like the one below:
Now, fold the paper in half to the left …
… Then fold the paper in half to the right.
Smooth out the paper, flip it over, and fold it through the middle of two hearts, as shown below:
You should now be able to fold the heart in, like so:
Once your heart is folded, use tape to affix a 10″ (254 mm) piece of string to it. (Don’t worry: this side of the heart will be glued to your card, so people won’t see it!)
Let your heart hang tight while you make a base for it!
How to Make the Handmade Card
Place the lone folded heart you made earlier on a 5″ x 7″ (127 mm x 177.8 mm) piece of watercolor paper, and trace around it in pencil. The heart should be oriented at an angle on the left side of the paper, as shown in the photos below.
Write a message to the right of the heart; I have chosen to write “You are Wonderful” in Amy Style calligraphy.
Make sure you use a waterproof ink such as Ziller! We’ll be exposing this calligraphy to watercolor here in a bit, and you want to make sure it won’t smudge or run! After you write your calligraphy, you have the option to freehand draw a parallel line around the heart.
You can trace over that freehand line if you want to; the resulting black heart outline will help your folded heart to stand out more.
Next, get out your favorite watercolor palette — I have chosen the Finetec Pearl Colors palette — and moisten the colors you would like to use on the card. Pre-moistening your watercolors like this will ensure that they are nice and easy to use!
Now, use the blowing technique as outlined in the Artistic Ornaments-Themed DIY Christmas Card Tutorial: start by painting a blob of watercolor inside the heart …
… Then blow on it to make the paint run!
Continue blobbing paint around the inside of the heart and blowing it out, then use your paintbrush to flick colors all over your paper.
Assembly
While you’re waiting for your paint to dry, unfold your heart and write a note in it.
Use double-stick tape or glue to affix the back side of the folded heart — the side with string taped to it — to the paper. The heart should be placed exactly where you drew the pencil guideline.
Fold in the heart, then tie your string into a bow to secure the fold.
And … voilà! A simple and interactive handmade card that is sure to delight.
Though I have shown you how to create this handmade card using printed scrapbook paper and a watercolor paper backing, you can modify the concept however you’d like! Go wild using different papers and materials — no matter what, your piece will end up looking fantastic. It’s a quick, fun project that you will enjoy making and your recipient will be happy to receive!
If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to ask! I’m happy to answer. 🙂 Thanks so much for reading TPK, and enjoy the rest of your day!
Warmly,
Great tutorial. I have found that after cutting your heart to the shape you want you can save a little bit of time. Instead of drawing 4 hearts on a sheet of paper, i instead cut out a piece of paper to 6×6 inches. With this done I used a Fiskars scoring blade and made scored the paper horizontally at the 3 inch mark, rotated the paper and did the same score. Then I finished scoring the diagonals. At this point you fold it as you did on your finished project. From here I traced a whole heart and made one cut of a heart instead of cutting 4 individual ones. This also makes each heart “blade” uniform. Just a FYI from a novice. Cheers!
That is adorable! Will definitely give it a try. Thank you!
So lovely and fun looking. Thank you and I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day
Yeah! so cute! Happy Valentines to you too!
I have the same Rumi quote on my phone case! I bought a clear case so I could change out the sayings now that I have been getting better with calligraphy and brush lettering, thanks to your kindness to teach via online!
Have a wonderful day!
I love this!! Thank you!
I’m obsessed with origami and love this folded heart.
It’s beautiful, thanks Lindsey.
I LOVE THIS IDEA!
This is such a great idea and so beautiful, like always… 🙂
Thanks again!!
Hi, Lindsey! Looked this post up again after reading your email this morning. I would like to do a version of this with my art students – with your permission, of course. I’ve been wanting to do a “mail art” day, and this would be perfect for a card to put inside our decorated envelopes. Keep up the wonderful work – we out here in art land are always inspired by all you do!
Blessings!
Angela
Gorgeous!
THIS IS GREAT! Thanks for this creative idea. I rarely comment on blog posts, but I must say that ALL your works are amazing. I am scrolling through your blog for more than three hours now. Haha! Keep on inspiring us and more free samples, please! 😀
Thanks so much, Shiela! I really love writing the blog, so I’m happy you enjoy reading it! 🙂
Its beautiful 🙂 I’m definitely trying that.
I hope you do give it a try! It’s a fun little tutorial. 🙂 Thanks, Anjuna!
Simply adorable, AMAZING !!!!
From Barcelona ,thanks for sharing your inspiration and your creativity
I am happy to write tutorials like this one; thanks so much, Esther!
What a cute simple idea! I love it. Your desires are so creative! ❤
Oops designs!!! Darn spell check!
Hahah! I did think that was an interesting observation, but I took it as a sweet compliment nonetheless. Now it makes more sense! Thanks, Crystal! 🙂
awwww… this is sweet! Thanks for sharing.
It’s my pleasure! Thanks, Lily! 🙂
I needed an idea for a birthday card for my 9 year old granddaughter – perfect timing, thank you!
I think she’ll really enjoy untying the string to reveal the message!
This is the cutest thing you’ve done so far! ‘So far’ being the key, as I can see you teaching and encouraging and leading in this area for a very long time to come!!
Marvelous!! Ooh,… there is another great word for the outside of your folded heart card!
smiling, Lidian
Thank you, Lidian! I love the concept of interactive cards — and I agree! “Marvelous” would be another fantastic word. 🙂
Perfect! My daughters birthday is coming and she would really love this card.
I know you will really enjoy making it, too! 🙂
My aim for today was to come up with a nice idea for a birthday card for my daughter and Lo and behold your post popped up.I know what I will be doing tomorrow now! Thank you for sharing.
It’s serendipity, pure and simple. 😉 Thank you — I hope you enjoyed making it!
Someone showed me how to fold and make a card like that a long time ago, but I love how you cut it into a heart and tied it with string! Love it!
That innovative idea is all thanks to my friend Phyllis! 🙂
Love this! I’ll be making these as birthday cards for my favorite people. How about printing (or pasting) photos inside the hearts. Love love love!
That would be a fantastic modification! Great idea. 🙂
Love it!
It’s something to put in the envelope you are going to make, right? 😉
Hahaha, already sent it. Darn, I’ll have to make another one… 😉
This is so beautiful! A wonderful idea and it looks so very effective.
Thank you! It is effective; I hope you give making one a try!
Oh how exciting! Amazing! So inspiring! I am going to try this!
Thank you! 🙂
No, thank you for reading!
This is so gorgeous and inspiring!
Thank you! I hope you give the tutorial a try. 🙂
Adorable! You’re so creative!
Thanks, Dana! I’m really happy you enjoyed the tutorial. 🙂