A Love Letter to Creativity (Year Two)
Last year, we put out a challenge… create the most over-the-top, pull-out-all-the-stops Valentine’s Day cards you can dream up. And wow, did you deliver. So naturally, we had to do it again.
For the Second Annual Valentine Challenge, we invited designers, artists, and paper lovers to go all in on Valentine card design. Layers, special shapes, custom printed envelopes, laser cutting… the works. We wanted to see the kind of handmade valentines that make you catch your breath when you open them.
The Challenge
The brief was simple: show us your most creative, most intricate, most “I can’t believe that’s a card” valentine card ideas using Cards & Pockets products. We were looking for designs that pushed boundaries… pieces that layered textures, played with dimension, and made the most of our premium cardstock in 200+ colors, custom printing, and specialty techniques like foil stamping and laser cutting.
And once again, the response blew us away.
Our Part
Once we selected our winners, we got to work printing, cutting, and assembling each design here in-house. Watching these designs come together piece by piece… from digital files to fully layered, dimensional valentines… is such a cool part of this process.
This year, we’re proud to present eight winning designs from our valentine design contest that represent some truly remarkable creative vision. One thing that stood out across this year’s collection? Every single winning design features its own interactive element. Pull tabs, spinning pieces, pop-ups, hidden messages… these designers didn’t just create interactive cards you look at, they created cards you experience. It was an incredible addition to this year’s challenge and really raised the bar for DIY valentine cards.
We also want to give a special shout-out to Samantha Woolford, who won our “100% Original Artwork” award for her completely hand-illustrated valentine design. Samantha’s artistry brought something truly one-of-a-kind to the challenge.
Each winner will receive an exclusive box set of 10 of their own design, plus a collector’s box featuring one card from each of the eight winning entries. Now, let’s meet the designers and break down what makes each of these valentines so special.
Have a custom design idea but not sure where to start?
We’ve got you! Our team is here to help guide you through those first steps and bring your vision to life. Let’s make something awesome together!
The Winning Designs
“Layers of Love” by Samantha Woolford
“This contest was such a fun creative challenge for me. I’m a self-taught painter and designer, and most of my work through my studio – Hudson & Tuck Paper Co. – lives in the world of luxury wedding invitations and paper goods. Recently though, I’ve been feeling really inspired to explore stationery beyond weddings, things like personal stationery, greeting cards, and other playful paper pieces. When I saw the Valentine’s Day card contest, it felt like the perfect opportunity to experiment.
I’ve also recently become fascinated with paper engineering. I have a young son who absolutely loves pop-up books, and watching him interact with them made me realize how magical it is when paper can surprise you! I started wondering if I could teach myself how to incorporate those kinds of dimensional elements into my own work.
Like most things I do, I didn’t start with a plan. I’m definitely a type B creative, so my process usually begins with a vague idea and a lot of experimenting to see where things go. That meant hours of trial and error and plenty of paper scraps, tape, and glue along the way. I also tend to hyper-focus when I get excited about an idea, which is probably both my greatest strength and my biggest weakness, but in this case it paid off.
I’m so excited about how this card turned out, and even more excited to keep exploring what’s possible with paper. This project was such a fun reminder that sometimes the best ideas come from simply playing and seeing where the process leads.”
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Design Recipe
“Valentine’s is like a Box of Chocolates” by Haley Brown
Haley’s Valentine’s design is all about boxes of chocolate and whimsical little sweets the day is filled with. The decorative top of a gourmet box, chocolates with intricate drizzles inside, and even the die cut pieces of chocolate, all represent the sweetness of a Valentine’s Day gift.
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Design Recipe
“Puppy Love” by Kendyl McGinnis
“My watercolor design was inspired by a classic carnival kissing booth! I wanted it to feel interactive, magical, and colorful! I loved the idea of creating a theatrical reveal with curtains, with the dogs peeking through and then opening to a lighthearted, sweet moment. I love when a card holds a surprise inside!
As a lifelong dog lover, including my Chocolate Labrador, Dempsey, was my first instinct! He is my inspiration in everything I do. And basset hounds’ long ears are just the sweetest, so I couldn’t resist that pairing or adding a bow to those adorable ears.“
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Design Recipe
“I Love You a Latte” by Britney Morgan
Britney Morgan went full coffee shop with this design… and we mean every piece. She created custom everything, from a latte-art envelope liner with hearts and coffee cups to a card designed to look like a to-go cup where you write the recipient’s name. The standout is the spinner: a laser cut circle with a heart-shaped border that reveals a different coffee-themed love pun each time you turn it. Britney used both white and colored printing to pull it all together, and it’s the kind of valentine you keep spinning just to see what comes up next.
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Design Recipe
- Custom Laser Cut Paper Shape in Bitter Chocolate
- Printed Custom Laser Cut Paper Shapes in Snow White, Bronze, and Bitter Chocolate
- Printed Custom Laser Cut Envelope in Cipria (Custom Request)
“Filled with Love” by Sylvie Poisson
“‘Filled with Love’ was inspired by a pasta-making night with friends and family. The original watercolor recipe card was inspired by an evening of wine, pasta, and laughter in the kitchen. I wanted to capture the feeling of sharing food and time together. The quiet intimacy of cooking side by side and passing down cherished recipes. To me, love lives in those small, intentional moments.”
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Design Recipe
“Have a Heart” by Brittany Coker
“I love holidays, and I especially love ones where stationery is a prominent element. Since grade school, I’ve always loved Valentines and the novelty of tiny paper goods. With that spirit, I wanted to create a design where the messaging was more friend-focused than romantic – for maximum shareability. It’s difficult at this time to create anything that doesn’t have some reflection on our collective cultural mood. I used the iconic conversation hearts box as a prompt (“Start a conversation”) while the heart candies have messages of love, hope, and recognition (“Be Good”, “You belong”, “Love wins”, etc.). The message on the back of the card insert says “Thanks for having a heart”, a sentiment that’s not taken for granted. It’s lovely to see artists creating joy and participating in community. Thank you for creating the opportunity C&P.”
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Design Recipe
“Perfect Match” by Amanda Staples
“My design inspiration came from an illustration I had drawn for fun. I love match books and collect them from places I visit and estate sales. I drew the “light my fire” lettering and matchbook one day when I was drawing and loved the design but never had any real use for it. I even looked into making real matches but the minimums were crazy! Haha When I saw your contest I thought it would be the perfect way to bring the matches to life! I love love and all things Valentine’s Day and was super excited to create something to celebrate!”
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Design Recipe
“Lobster Love” by Hanna Symonnovych
“My inspiration for this design was that some animals have the ability to mate for life. And I really liked the idea that these are underwater creatures—lobsters and seahorses. I really love the underwater world. 🙂 I also really liked the possibility of being able to cut out any shape, which is a must-have right now.”
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Design Recipe
- Printed Custom Laser Cut Paper Shapes in Soft Coral and Snow White
- Printed Custom Laser Cut Envelope in Tangy Orange (Custom Request)
Have a custom design idea but not sure where to start?
We’ve got you! Our team is here to help guide you through those first steps and bring your vision to life. Let’s make something awesome together!