Love You: Saying "I Love You" to Family - Jeanette Lee

It's the CP Gal's last chance to show off a little love as we finish up "Love You" week here at Crate Paper. Sharing the "Love You" message doesn't have to lack creativity, at least not with Crate's Valentine's Day collection, Love Notes! This sweet, endearing card set and family album from Jeanette Lee are a superb example of "Love" re-imagined in decorative form to be shared on Valentine's Day...

To love and to show love can sometimes be difficult, especially in a family. I find it easier to express how much I love a person if he is a lover or a special friend, but when it comes to words of affection towards my family, I struggle. Not that I don't love them, but perhaps the traditional society I live in has made social-cultural norms uncomfortable. With that said, I try to show the extent of my love by focusing on doing little projects around the house as a form of expressing how much I love them. With Valentine's Day approaching, it proved to be a perfect opportunity to create another project - solely for them!

I started off by making envelopes to contain love notes for each family member. I found a used jewelry stand and converted it into a letter holder. This would serve to fit close to seven letters in the upper and lower compartments.

Using patterned papers from the Love Notes 6 x 6 pad, I sized it down to a 5.5" inch square. I scored two diagonal sides to 2" while the other two sides were scored to 2.5". Attached is a sample drawing for easy reference.

Then, I cut the ends that intersected with the score lines. Lastly, I folded and assembled the envelope. To create a more authentic look, I rounded the corners with a punch.

To decorate the envelopes further, I mixed a variety of textural elements together (vellum, chipboard, etc.) while ensuring that some of them be placed with the intention of creating bulk and depth. Layering matters! I ended my decorative process by personalizing the envelopes to the person intended to receive them. Keeping a person in mind as you scrapbook can definitely make the process that much more enjoyable!

Up next, I created an album, focusing on the special moments and memories we shared as a family in 2013.

So, how is this different from a normal album? For starters, both ends of the album are decorated with a specific purpose/intention in mind, which I'll explain later on. To assemble the album, I cut down eight cardstock sheets to 4.5" x 4". Vertically, along the left edge of each sheet, I scored a line at the .5" mark. I then glued the sides together and assembled the album.

I placed tabs along the top edge of some of the album pages; highlighting a special family memory. These cute candy sticks from the Love Notes collection were perfect for the job! I covered the backside of the sticks with patterned papers as a final decorative touch, and to rid of the stickiness.

The other purpose I wanted to mention is that the album easily displays as a photo stand. As such, the pages may be readily seen from all angles. The tabs also serve to heighten the album while increasing it's presence from the outside.

While most of the album centers merely around full-page photographs, some of the space is devoted to smaller photographs. For example, on one of the pages I created an envelope and placed four photographs inside it that can easily be removed. As a means of decorating the opening further, I placed vellum and die cuts along the flap using a stapler to secure them.

This last page is special. A quote from Donna Hedges poignantly sums up the reasons as to why my family is important to me.

And there you have it, a completed arrangement of today's creations. I intend to place them in my living room on February 14th. It is a beautiful, heartfelt way to express how much I love my family.

The thought, matters. Start working on your Valentine's Day projects today. I'm sure that whatever you embark on will be timely reminders to your loved ones of your affection and I'm certain they'll be encouraged, and appreciative.