Growing up, I always loved making homemade valentines for friends and family. Although most of the valentines I received were from my mom (a.k.a. ‘my secret admirer’), I nonetheless have fully embraced the idea of a commercial holiday about spreading love. Thus, I have maintained a tradition of making handmade valentines to let the people I care about most in my life know that they are loved.

This year, I decided to make my valentines using woodblock printing. Below are the simple steps to follow to make your own. Sending lots of love your way FEEDers! xo LBL

Step 1:

Gather your materials to carve a woodblock with your special and unique design. You will need a wood block, carving tools (called gravers), a pencil to draw your design, printers ink (oil or water based), a roller, and paper.

Step 2:

Draw and carve you design into the wood block. (If you are carving a written message, be sure to write everything in reverse so that it prints properly. See my “oops”…)

Step 3:

Use the roller to coat your woodblock with printers ink.

Step 4:

Line up the woodblock on your paper and press down. Make sure to apply pressure to all areas of the woodblock so that you get a good impression on the paper.

Step 5:

Let your cards dry for several hours.

Step 6:

As an extra treat for friends, fill a little bag with treats. The treats I choose for my valentines this year include organic hot chocolate packets, traditional Sweetheart candies, Emergen-C packets, candy drops, and lottery tickets.

Step 7:

Assemble each bag and close with a small piece of tape.

Step 8:

Personalize and give!

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