The Ardor Arbiter Starter Kit

I've spotted 2 errors so far, sorry about that. I was a bit tired. I have fixed them on the downloadables, so they are now marks of authenticity of the first edition.

I will be mailing the international and out-of-state ones today and tomorrow and will set up 2 NYC pick-ups, one for Brooklyn, one for Manhattan. I am also trying to figure out the best way to organize and post the other valentines I have made, and all the ones sweet people have given to me.

Download pdfs of this valentine!

• Ardor Arbitor Pamphlet & ID Card 
• Ardor Arbitor Citations

There were a  few years that were really hard. No valentines. I started some ideas, got about 10 paces in, dropped them all like hot potatoes.

I did some Valentine Related Design work:

I thought it was cute...This was to be a gig poster for this all-lesbian band, but the lead singer wanted the posters to have her photo displayed prominently. Oh well.

This is just the envelope, photos inside coming soon!

2005: Valentine from Laura Heyman

Laura is an old schoolmate who is an incisive photographer. This is just the envelope she made that year — as I unearth my collection, I will scan and add the photos themselves.

front 

The Monstress Just Maybe Pennant
first edition: 200
second edition: 300

Silkscreen, felt, starch, wooden dowel

back
I was hoping to figure out products that would require no words. After months and months of mulling, I made this in a wild week of sewing and printing and ironing. Hmm. I wanted it to be obviously handmade, but the type is not very well done at all.

It actually is one of the more popular valentines — just about every house I visit has one, unless it's the house of a new friend. And I have had a number of strangers track me down to ask for one, after seeing one out in the world.

Here it is in action:

John is one of my favorite people ever.

2004: Valentine from John Stoney

I have some brilliant friends, and John is one of those people. An amazing sculptor, he also makes for a fine Valetiner. This print holds a special place in my home, always prominently displayed. I love you, nice person.

DaytimeThe Monstress Emotional Openness Signal Kit

Nighttime The package reads as follows:

IS IT HARD FOR YOU TO LET DOWN YOUR GUARD? ARE YOU UNACCUSTOMED TO EXPOSING YOUR SOFTER SENTIMENTS TO THOSE WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU?

In these apprehensive times, we sometimes forget to take the risks so necessary to fully live life. In order to help you at moments of hesitation, Monstress has developed the EMOTIONAL OPENNESS

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Take device sheet out of package.
• Cut the devices apart along the preprinted dotted line.
• Choose the appropriate device for your present time of day.
• Using one of the provided safety pins, affix the device to your sleeve.
• Face the person or persons with whom you wish to share an open moment.
• Position the device so that it is easily seen by the aforementioned person(s).

The EMOTIONAL OPENNESS SIGNAL is designed so that you may easily improvise your own means of communicating the onset of a moment of unguardedness. You need not pin the device to your clothing: you could simple wave it about, or hang it somewhere to remind yourself to occasionally loosen control over your more tender feelings.

POSTSCRIPT:
Later on, during the dryspell, I considered using the drawing I did for this device to make plain Badge-o-Matic buttons, but decided not to. If I couldn't think of anything new, I wasn't ready to publish.  

Double Explosion

2004: Valentine from Cammi Climaco

Cammi is a friend from my days in Michigan, another Cranbroid. She is also a lovely, witty, brilliant artist. Hooray for the nice one!

I am not the best at embroidery...

The Monstress Merit Badge
1.5" X 3.25"
Embroidered patch on denim
NOT FOR SALE

Sometimes, within the tossing boat of an office lifestyle, you meet someone, a lovely lovely person who impresses you greatly. This badge was made for just such a person, and she is now the ranking member of the newly born Monstress Maidens NYC Troop. I am only a Bitchkitten, but a girl can dream.

The rarest Monstress Valentine

The Monstress Pulmonary Certitude Testing Kit
silkscreened cardboard package,
metal and sculpey™ parts, magnets
edition of 500, eventually
Brooklyn, 2003

Front of CardThe Monstress Love-Facilitated Vision Enabler

Back of Card

This valentine was my first art piece with a web component. If you were one of the recipients of the card, you could come to this site and watch a secret message which was revealed when you looked through the red film lens.

Love-Facilitated Vision Enabler Secret Movie

For those of you who received the 2002 MONSTRESS VALENTINE, I have posted the little movie above. Please hold the valentine up against one eye (with the other closed). Watch the secret message, hit refresh if you want to see it from the beginning.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

It´s too dark. Here is a lighter one.

It´s too fast. Just drag the gif onto your desktop and play it in your browser from there.
I didn't get a Valentine. Here for a non-secreted form of the movie.

All My Os

Postscript:
This whole piece came together when I discovered all the scrapbooking die-cutters at a paper shop.