Printable Valentine Cards

From LoveToKnow Dating

Using printable valentine cards is a great way to combine the convenience of the Internet with the personal touch that the holiday demands. It falls somewhere between simply getting someone a pre-printed card from the store and trying to hand make something artistic and meaningful – all well and good if you're artistic, but frustrating and stressful for the rest.

Printable valentine cards fill that need. Since they are so easy to find on the Internet, it's not so much a question of "where to find them?" as "which one is appropriate?" Here are some guidelines to picking out the perfect card for that someone special on Valentines Day:

Pick appropriate messages – This could mean a lot of things, and not always "work safe." Appropriate means appropriate to the relationship with the person – if you are passionately involved with someone, a simple "Have a Sweet Day!" card would probably be somewhat of a letdown. On the other hand, a steamy and hot invitation to romance is probably not appropriate for someone you just met (unless it was a good first date). The best choice is to pick a printable valentine card that lets you put in your own message.
Make sure it's printable – Make sure the image you're printing out is legally free – while it may seem convenient to just print out any picture, it's stealing if the creator hasn't given you permission. Something else to consider is that screen resolutions are usually 72dpi, and that's going to give you a blurry, unattractive printout. The cards you print should be at least 150dpi for black and white and 300dpi for color.
Consider the pictures – If you're going to the trouble of printing a card for your valentine, you should take the time to consider what kind of image he or she would like. Fuzzy bears and balloon hearts may not make a man's heart skip a beat the way a shiny red sports car might, and a picture of a bottle of champagne may be more appealing to a woman than a cartoon of a grandmother (no matter how funny it is). Use the time you save by getting your card online to really investigate the spectrum available and choose the right one.

Sources for Printable Valentine Cards

While keeping the above criteria in mind, here are some excellent sources to find the right message to send your special someone on February 14th:

Children's Valentine Cards – One of the rituals of being a parent is the yearly necessity for children to bring Valentine's cards to school. At the DLTK site, you will find cards that you simply print out, interactive folding cards and some that involve crafty projects that can be done with the children. Not only are the cards free, but they also feature popular children's characters such as Blue, the dog.
MINT Printables – This site is a full service Valentine's resource, offering a wider variety of cards ranging from the cute, the clever to vintage Victorian styles. Even better is the site's range of "Valentine's Day Printables" including stationery, gift tags, romantic coupons, and gift bags. The site also has a robust support section to help you print things out exactly the way you'd like.
PrintFree Cards – The website owners at PrintFree are very proud of the cards they've created, which usually feature humorous pictures of animals or stylized hearts. They are formatted to fit across a half sheet of paper, which lets you fold it and include your own message inside the card. While the images may not seem as polished as other commercial sites, they are original compositions that "can't be found anywhere else," according to the site, which may be the special touch you are seeking.

Whatever resource you use, remember that the true message of any card is simply that you cared enough to give it in the first place.

Retrieved from "http://dating.lovetoknow.com/Printable_Valentine_Cards"