Boxed valentines may have been fine for classmates, but this February 14th, even if you don’t have ton to spend on romantic splurges, a hand-crafted Valentine is a beautiful way to show someone you care.

Here are some tips and ideas.

• You can layer, cut-out, glue and sparkle, but make it your own and it will be beloved.
• To give cards that designer feel, use only four colors and only six materials. Think of a card as an outfit. You wouldn’t wear earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, headbands, and a scarf all at once…would you?
• Decide on a style. Girly. Rustic. Sophisticated. There are a million card styles.

Browse a couple of card websites to get a good idea.  Here are two:

Not Another Knotch on My Leather Belt Card:

• Weave leather belts together to make this rugged card that your guy will love. No frills, no sparkly hearts. Simply collect old (your local thrift store is great for this) brown belts—should all be about the same color. You can braid them together, or attach them with bonded leather backing and water base glue to a thick piece of card stock. Next you’ll need an exacto knife to carve. Now, there are proper ways to cut into leather, but you aren’t trying to become a master leatherworker. You just want to carve a sweet message—a simple I love you, and the date.

Sew a Heart for Your Sweetie:

• The Hand Stitched Card Bust out your needle and thread and sew a heart. Your love will surely be impressed by your handiwork. A piece of thick, kraft-colored stock paper is good for the stitched look. You can even sew a dotted line down the spine of the card. Don’t forget: A sweet message on the inside.

-Arianna Schioldager