Valentine's Day Card Ideas 2016: 10 Do-It-Yourself Designs For Your Boyfriend, Girlfriend Or Spouse

Valentine’s Day is Sunday, and stores all across the United States have stocked their shelves with pink and red cards, chocolates, flowers and teddy bears. Whoever your Valentine is this year—whether it’s your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, best friend, mom or dad—below are some creative homemade Valentine’s Day card ideas that are sure to impress.

1. Have extra birthday candles lying around? Take a blank pink or red card, glue a few candles to the front, and write with a felt tip marker, “You Light Up My Life.”

2. A paper doily envelope is a charming way to enclose your card. Fold different kinds of dollies to show off certain elements and patterns. With the embossed side of the doily face up, fold in the sides and then fold the bottom. Click here to learn how to make them.

3. Glue a plastic race car—think Hot Wheels—to the front of a pink or red card. Write, “You Make My Heart Race!”

4. Take a pair of coordinating puzzle pieces, glue to the front of a heart-shaped card and write, “We Just Fit.”

5. Use pre-inked stamp pads and cookie cutters to make a clever card. Press a heart-shaped cookie cutter into a white art eraser to make a heart-shaped stamp. Then, use an utility knife to cut out rectangular and square blocks, which can either provide a background for hearts or serve as the main design, MarthaStewart.com suggests.

6. For something simple and cute, glue a few peanuts to the front of a paper card and write, “I’m Nuts For You.”

7. Use photos to create a super customized Valentine. Crop two photos—one of you and one of your Valentine-- to the same size and mount on cardstock. Add stickers or cutouts to decorate the rest of the of the card.

8. Take a packet of matches and rip out all the matches except two. Glue the packet on a blank card and write, “We’re A Perfect Match,” Real Simple suggests.

9. Create a 3D accordion card. Print a template on cardstock and then cut and trace onto the paper for the folded piece. Fold along score marks, then unfold, cut out and refold. Position the folded piece inside the base card so it pops and secure with double-sided tape.

10. Fold a piece of construction paper in the shape of a heart and include a York Peppermint patty. Write, “We’re Just Mint To Be.”