It was February 2007, my junior year of high school, when I recall an unexpected crafty lecture from my pre-calculus teacher.
Back then, numbers were more my thing, but a late afternoon lesson on formulas and processes I guarantee have escaped my memory ever since often failed to retain my interest and attention.
So, naturally, when my teacher digressed from mathematical equations to explain a simple method for making Valentines, I neglected my doodling and tuned in.
As monotone as his voice could be, his short demonstration intrigued me. How could my pre-calc teacher remotely know anything about handmade cards? By that time I had quite a few Christmas card designs under my belt, as well as countless birthday cards thrown into the mix, so clearly I knew what I was talking about when it came to paper crafting. But to a point, as it turns out, my teacher packed a few tricks of the trade up his sleeve as well.
Folded Heart Valentines
1. Grab a piece of red or pink paper. Fold it in half.
2. Use a pair of scissors to cut a half-heart shape into the folded paper, starting and ending your cut along the fold.
3. Discard the scraps. Unfold your paper heart, sign your name and voila! Behold your simple Valentine and deliver it to your loved one.
I remember laughing about that “lesson” at the time, but also feeling relieved to enjoy a break from pre-calc on a random afternoon. Although my teacher’s Valentine idea was rather simple compared to handmade card designs I had created before, I’ve realized that sometimes simplicity is all you need to brighten someone’s day.
As Valentine’s Day approaches toward the end of this week, I look forward to my next visit to McKay Bricker to check whether my Valentine’s Day cards have been a hit with the shoppers of Kent. In the meantime, I’ll shamelessly indulge in The Bachelor‘s dramatic “love stories” this evening with some friends.
Scraps of the Soul 