All-In-One Valentine’s by Thienly Azim

Trying to decide what to get your special Valentine? Look no further! This project has everything you can think of – a card, romantic coupons to pamper your significant other, and some sweets to melt their heart away! Just put a little twist on Mary’s Antique Book Matchbox file, and you’ll have the most meaningful gift to your loved ones in no time!

SVG Collections Used

Spirits of Christmas Past SVG Kit
A2 Lace Edged Cards SVG Collection
Crush on You Boxes SVG Kit
French Quarter Ironwork SVG Collection
Antique Skeleton Keys SVG Collection

Supplies Used

• AC Cardstock
• Patterned paper
• Acetate
• Brown glassine paper
• Embossing folder (Distressed Stripe Cuttlebug folder for ‘pages’)
• Punkin’ Patch Stamps – All You Need is Love set
• Various ribbons (crinkle, lace, velvet, floral)
• Adhesives (foam tape, heat glue gun, Scotch Quick-Dry, double-sided)
• Paper doilies (used the ones from Wilton 10cm)
• Extra embellishments (I used pen tip from Tim Holtz, and ornamental flower from Prima Marketing)
• Glitter glue for sprinkles on truffles

Dimensions

Instructions

1. 

   Diagram 1

   Open book_base3.svg on your virtual mat and place Rectangle Vertical (2.70” W by 3.68” H) in the center of the large face. Group, and cut. (see diagram 1)

2. Open book_base1.svg on your virtual mat. Rotate the file by 180 degrees, as this is the orientation how the pieces are joined together. Place book_base1.svg over the book_base3.svg, such that the bigger face overlaps one another and joins on the right hand side. Place Oval Vertical (2.25"W by 3.05"H) in the center of the Rectangle Vertical (see diagram 2). Move the book_base3.svg away, and should leave you with book_base1.svg with Oval Vertical. Group and cut. (see diagram 1)
3. 

   Diagram 2

   Cut other Antique Book Matchbox files (book_base2.svg, book_cover.svg, pages1.svg and pages2.svg). You can emboss the pages1.svg and pages2.svg to make them look like pages.

4. Frames for the compartment windows: Use queen_anne_half.svg (blackout) and place Rectangle Vertical (2.70” W by 3.68” H) in the center, and cut. Cut Oval Vertical (2.50” W by 3.30” H) with acetate, and a corresponding frame using the same Oval Vertical but with (2.25” W by 3.05” H) on the inside. (see diagram 3 for both frames). Adhere the acetate to the frame.
5. 

   Diagram 3

   Assemble, but DO NOT glue on the book_cover.svg yet. Adhere the frames as well.

6. For the inside pages, cut Rectangle Horizontal (8.9” W by 5.066”. Score down vertically down the middle (at 4.45”) and then score another line at 0.2” from that line only on one side. Fold. This small section is used to glue the ‘page’ onto the assembled book_base3.svg on the left hand side. Adhere.
7. Adhere the book_cover.svg to the back of the book and then glue the top cover to the first inside page. So, when you open the book, it should have one full blank page, and then the next page should have the open window page.
8. Book bind: Cut pretty_card_alt1.svg and score at 1.75” from the decorative edge, and then another at 2.5” from that initial score line. Fold and adhere to the cover of the book.
9. For the inside pop-out on the first page, cut Rectangle Horizontal (4.75” W by 5.066” H) and then score down at the following points from the left hand side: 0.5”, 2.25”, 2.75”, 2.95” and at 4.5”. The numbers may look confusing when scoring, but if you calculate the width between each one, it should make it easier to score. Fold the lines and glue the end flap (should have 0.25” left) to the other end. Place the 0.2” on the bottom (the same 0.2” portion should align with the pages cut out in step 6. Glue on the pop-up rectangle. (This is the base for where I added the truffles)
10. Cut all other embellishments and adhere where your heart desires! I added 3D roses, stamped sentiments, double-layered butterfly (take two cuts, and by scoring and only adhering in the middle gives a great look), borders and corners, truffles (used glitter glue for sprinkles), key and a heart padlock, coupons in an envelope, fanned heart (score heart vertically down the middle, and attach one side to another for 4 cuts)… there’s no limit!

Have fun and put your own twist to it!

Design Tips

Thienly - SVGCuts Design Team Artist

• Decide upon what ‘style’ you are trying to achieve. Modern? Vintage? Then pick corresponding papers that fit your style. I tried to get more of the vintage feel, so Echo Park Yours Truly papers worked wonderfully.
• Look at the patterned papers that you picked out – do they go together? The colors? The patterns? If you choose all the papers from one certain collection, then it should be okay!
• Try to pick out important colors from the patterned papers that you picked out. Mine was red, pink, black and white.
• Can you think of any embellishments that fit your style? Vintage goes well with lace, crinkled ribbons, pearls, antique items such as pen tip and floral ornament, which I used. If it’s modern, stick to clean simple lines and objects. Fun objects would be buttons, twine, and glitter.
• Inking the items will add to the vintage feel. (I used black ink to distress the edges) If you’re doing the modern look, not inking is probably better, as it allows it to be clean and simple.
• If you decide to embellish with other things than I did, cut out all of the files first (assemble and ink if needed) and place them on your project, making sure that it balances with your project) before adhering them down permanently.
• Don’t feel like you need to stick to the cuts that I chose for my project. There’s plenty of fantastic SVG Cuts files that would fit this project!

It may look complicated at first, but don’t give up! It’s just a simple twist to Mary’s Antique Book Matchbox, and it allows you to make a ‘personalized’ book. Think of all sorts of possibilities: a cookie recipe book with sprinkles, chocolates, and icing tube in the compartment, a memoir book with special items inside, or even a baby’s first book with baby’s first teeth/hair clippings as a keepsake! Aren’t they fun ideas? I hope that you give this project a try!