Valentine's Day Inspiration

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and there’s nothing quite like adding a personal touch to your celebrations with handmade crafts. I’m usually late to the party, but a little Valentine’s Day Inspiration (even late) never hurts anyone.

Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or someone who loves dabbling in DIY projects, there’s a special kind of magic in creating heartfelt items that spread love and joy. Today, we’re diving into a collection of delightful die-cut crafts designed to inspire your next project.

valentine's day inspiration using different paper crafts styled that include scalloped gift bags, gift card holders and rosette garland

Get ready to explore ideas featuring hearts, gift card holders, scalloped gift bags with bows, and adorable heart zip bags. Please note that there are no tutorials here—just pure, unfiltered Valentine’s Day inspiration to get your creative juices flowing!

Valentine’s Day Inspiration:
Creative Ideas to Spark Your Imagination

1. The Timeless Charm of Die-Cut Hearts

Regarding Valentine’s Day, hearts are the universal symbol of love. Die-cut hearts come in all shapes, sizes, and textures, offering endless possibilities for creative expression.

Layered Heart Designs: Imagine stacking different sizes and colors of hearts to create a 3D effect. Mix and match patterns like polka dots, stripes, and florals for added visual interest.

a variety of paper hearts using different colors and patterns

I love the white doily behind the solid heart. It’s a nod to the old valentines.

These hearts would make a fabulous heart garland. String together a series of die-cut hearts in varying shades of red, pink, and white. Hang them across mantels, windows, chalkboards, or doorways to instantly brighten up any space.

No die cutter? Here’s a post with templates to cut out. They’re super cute hearts, too!

2. Grocery Bag Gift Card Holders (I’m obsessed)

Gift cards are practical and thoughtful, but adding a handmade holder can turn them into something truly special. Die-cut designs bring an elegant and customized flair to these simple gifts.

This Grocery Bag gift holder creates sleek, die-cut envelopes using different papers

die cut paper gift bag gift card holders on a pink background

Add a window cut-out to the gift card holder. Maybe a die-cut heart-shaped window to showcase the gift card inside? Back the window with vellum for a soft, dreamy effect.

3. Scalloped Gift Bags with Bows

Scalloped edges are irresistibly charming, especially when paired with pretty bows. Am I right? These gift bags are perfect for small treats, jewelry, or heartfelt notes.

Bold Color Combos: Play with contrasting colors like bright pink against classic red or soft pastels for a modern twist on traditional Valentine’s hues.

three scalloped paper gift bags with pink and white tissue paper. A heart rosette garland is in the background

Layered Textures: Use textured cardstock or metallic paper to give your bags a luxe feel. Add die-cut embellishments like hearts, arrows, or even tiny cupids.

Oversized Bows: Make a statement with a die-cut bow. I love how they add a little flair and make your gift bag stand out.

4. Scalloped Heart Rosette Garland

Add a touch of whimsy to your Valentine’s Day decor with a scalloped heart rosette garland. Picture delicate rosettes crafted from scalloped-edged paper, each centered with a layered heart design that pops with color and texture. String them together with satin ribbon or baker’s twine, allowing the garland to cascade gracefully across mantels, windows, or party tables. The combination of intricate folds, scalloped details, and vibrant hearts creates a festive, romantic vibe that will charm anyone who sees it.

(See the picture above. Garland is in the backdrop).

5. Adorable Heart Zip Bags

pink resealable bags with a variety of goodies in them

Heart-shaped zip bags are as functional as they are cute. They’re perfect for holding small trinkets, candies, dog treats, confetti, and even love notes.

pink resealable bags with a variety of goodies in them and text to label the items

Add Personalized Tags: Attach name tags shaped like hearts or arrows. It’s a sweet way to add a personal touch to each bag. You could also use a Dymo to create name tags for these cute bags.

Displaying Your Valentine’s Day Creations

Don’t just make beautiful crafts—show them off!

Valentine’s Day Tree: Decorate a small tree with your die-cut hearts and mini gift bags, similar to a Christmas tree.
Shadow Boxes: Arrange your crafts for a 3D art display in shadow boxes.
Photo Backdrops: Create a large-scale heart garland or scalloped banner as a backdrop for festive photos.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to indulge in creativity and share extra love. I’ve enjoyed playing around with my die-cutter for the past couple of weeks. Whether crafting heartfelt gift card holders, scalloped gift bags with bows, or adorable heart zip bags, the key is to have fun and let your imagination run wild. Hopefully, this small but mighty burst of Valentine’s Day inspiration has sparked some ideas for your next project.

Supplies used for these projects:
Sizzix Big Shot
Scalloped Gift Bag Die
Fancy Folded Bow Die
Scalloped Heart Dies
Scalloped Rosette Heart
Grocery Bag Gift Card Holder
Double-Sided Tape Runner
Bone Folder Tool
Mini Glue Gun
Double-Sided tape
Heart-Shaped Bags