I spent the weekend making my own handmade Valentine cards. If using as much glitter as I could was my goal, I think I achieved it.

Inspiration for handmade valentines is abundant this time of year. While an unofficial poll of 6-year olds tells me that store-bought packs of cards are the way to go in the public school system, I still think our friends and family really appreciate and adore our DIY efforts. Plus, what better way to spend a cold Saturday morning?

This year’s concept called for adhesive spray (I tried the Krylon variety with success), gold glitter, and a X-Acto knife and cardstock (I also used scrap mat board) to create a series of heart templates. The adhesive spray made the project especially easy, and the glitter stuck to it really well. It dried fast, too, faster than a multipurpose Elmer’s variety, at least.

I made a few with a glittery border too. It’s a quick and easy effort using the corner of a piece of scrap paper to shield the center of the card from the spray and glitter. Dad’s going to be thrilled, glitter’s not at all messy after it travels through the mail in an envelope.

My favorites were these, for which I used paper from a coloring book. (I use the term “coloring book” loosely, it’s very design-y and something I bought at Anthropologie years ago. I even made lampshades out of the pages!)

Using the same heart template, the design of the paper adds a little something extra. If you’re making them at home, with or without your kids, consider all of the paper you have in your home, like the newspaper, an old book from a garage sale, or even colorful kid art.

Catching the home improvement bug at an early age, Emily Winters is a now a devoted DIYer living in Rochester, NY. The projects she covers on her blog Merrypad range from painting a wall to building a deck, so it’s only natural she landed at DIYNetwork.com. You can follow Emily on twitter at @merrypad and like her on facebook at facebook.com/merrypad.