Danielle Mousley is a photography art director at Hallmark’s Union Hill Studio with a lot of energy and spunk. Her sense of humor and creative eye have a happy home here at Hallmark, where she loves being surrounded by crafty friends.

Today we thought we’d share a peek into a recent Valentine’s Day workshop, featuring a number of folks from our creative staff—people who not only illustrate, design and write lovely things every day, but who are also quite crafty with their hands. What they created was a delightful range of goodies inspired by this traditional season of love. Who knows? Maybe you’ll see their Valentine’s Day crafts on a card or two someday soon.

When you work at Hallmark, it’s not uncommon to hear from outsiders who are convinced that we made up one holiday or another. Chief among those “suspicious” holidays? Valentine’s Day.

Well, conspiracy theorists, I’m here to tell you: Valentine’s Day was inspired by stories of the third-century Saint Valentine and really got going in eighteenth-century England, when couples started giving each other candy, flowers and greeting cards—far before Hallmark Cards, Inc. was born.

Of course, Hallmark has had a hand in continuing this romantic tradition for more than a hundred years now by helping billions of lovebirds express their feelings for one another.

I’d say our founder, Joyce Hall, was really onto something when he decided that we should help keep Valentine’s Day alive and well. Surely all of us have benefitted at one time or another from getting a little help with what to say to our sweetie pies. (I know my Valentine thinks I have a way with words, but really, I have our writers to thank!)

Excited for Valentine’s day and want to get crafty, too? Here’s a fun “how to” from us!

All photographs by Jane Kortright. 

For more love-ly craft inspiration, browse Hallmark.com’s Valentine’s Day ideas section and follow us on Instagram at @think.make.share!

WHAT WILL YOU GIVE YOUR LOVED ONES THIS VALENTINE’S DAY?

— Danielle M.