How to Make Potato Print Valentines

There was a time when I spent hours in a Hallmark card store, doing nothing but selecting and purchasing greeting cards. For the past couple of years, I know the value of making my own cards. My last visit to the local Target over the weekend revealed most Valentine’s Day cards costing a minimum of $3.99. So what did their cards say? Nothing much. I figured I could make my own cards for the cost of buying one store-bought Valentine’s Day card by using the potato print technique.

By deciding to make my own Valentine’s Day cards this year, must admit that I have been enjoying myself. If you already have crafts supplies and access to a couple of potatoes, consider yourself ahead of the game. Making your own greeting cards showcases your creativity and the fact that you are putting in time for your loved one. Besides, it doesn’t take much to step into a store and buy an already made, mass-produced card.

Potato printing is very inexpensive and fun to do. When you are done with your project, there is very little clean-up. After printing, you can throw away or compost the potatoes and the remnants from any carving. If you involve the younger children, make sure you do the potato cutting and carving.

Making potato prints is a relaxing type of craft that can occupy several hours. Since it is an inexpensive project and easy to learn, using the potato print technique to make greeting cards is the perfect rainy day project for restless children and adults.

The Potato Print Technique

Materials

Potatoes (to save on potatoes, get one that is already sprouting)

Cookie cutter shaped like a heart

Paper, card stock or blank stationery

Knife, chisel, carving tool or knife

Paintbrushes

Acrylic paint or craft paint (your choice of colors)

Fork or butter knives (if you want or need “handles” for the potatoes)

Paper plates or paper cups (palettes for your the paint)

Glue or double-stick tape

Scissors or craft scissors

Optional Supplies:

Glitter

Stamp the Heart Design

1) Cut the potato in half and stick the cookie cutter into half of the potato.

2) Carve away the potato, using the cookie cutter as a guide. Cut away enough of the potato so that you have the heart shape to use as a stamp.

3) You aren’t eating this potato, so there is no need to peel the rest of the potato. For a handle, you may stick a fork or a knife into the other side of the potato.

4) Using a paintbrush, paint the potato with the color of your choice. Or pour some paint onto a paper plate and stamp your potato into the color.

5) The potato print design can be used on paper or fabric.

Stamp the Leaf Design

1) Follow steps 1 and 2 above.

2) Cut the heart design in half and carve away half the heart so that you are left with a leaf design.

3) If desired, cut veins into a leaf.

4) Follow steps 3-5 above.

Making the Stem

1) Take a paintbrush and dip the end into paint.

2) “Paint” a stem as part of your heart and leaf “flower.” Reload the end of the paintbrush with paint until you finish making the stem.

Variations

1) Stamp your potato print designs and then cut them out with regular or craft scissors. Tape or glue to a card.

2) Stamp your potato print designs with glue, stamp the paper or stationery, then cover the glue with glitter. Remove loose glitter after the glue has dried.