DIY Valentine Project â Make a Gift that That Keeps on Giving
January 17, 2010 | By
At first it may sound silly and too simple to make a difference. But, think about it. Aren't relationships built one moment at a time? Some moments are important memorable ones, like sharing a first slow dance or celebrating a special occasion. Others are small everyday moments, like a well timed hug or other thoughtful gestures that say we care.
It’s been our experience that finding a heart in an unexpected place, like in the toe of a sock, a jacket pocket, or between the bristles of a brush, can cause a rush of warm and fuzzy feelings as we are reminded that we are loved. And, hiding a heart can be just as gratifying as finding one, especially if we are near by and can catch the look of surprise on our spouse’s face.
My husband and I have shared this idea with other couples over the years, some of whom have recently requested new hearts to replace their well worn hearts (those that went through the laundry) and their lost forever hearts (those so well hidden they were never found).
Their requests are what prompted me to share this simple inexpensive idea with the readers of HandmadeNews. By exchanging these or other similar tokens of love with your spouse, you can bring some levity into your relationship during these stressful times. And, there’s no better time to start than right now, by making and giving these hearts to share with your loved one, unless of course you want to wait for Valentine’s Day or your anniversary.
1) Use a scroll saw to cut heart shapes from 1/8” wood or purchase a package of pre-cut wooden hearts from any local craft store. (For the hearts pictured I used 1.5 inch pre-cut hearts—a package of 21 hearts was $3.99 at a local Craft Store)
2) Using a ½” flat brush I base coated both sides and the edges of the hearts in Tompte Red, one of Delta Ceramcoat’s acrylic paints. ($1.49/2oz bottle or you can use any red paint that you like.)
3) I then traced the hearts onto some scrap paper, and practiced lettering styles and placement until I achieved a style I liked that was easy to read. Choose whatever words you like as long as it is a message of love.
4) Next I drew a few chalk guide lines using regular white chalk for blackboards. (Calligraphers often use similar guide lines so their letters turn out correctly spaced with the same degree of slant, same size and flow, and on a straight line)
5) I then used a long bristled liner brush and Delta Ceramcoat’s white acrylic paint to paint the letters. ($1.49/2oz bottle or if you are not a decorative painter, there are also many paint pens available, such as Aunt Martha’s 1oz ball point paint tubes for $3.29, which would allow you to just write the words you chose in your own hand writing.)
6) Once the letters were dry, I wiped off the chalk lines with a damp cloth and then went back and added some simple comma strokes and
dots to dress up the heart and fill in the empty space.
7) Finally, I put two layers of Delta Ceramcoat clear glossy varnish on both sides and the edges of the hearts for added durability and protection. ($2.99/2oz bottle or use another acrylic gloss finish.)
Most of the pricing I cited above was from Joann.com, but you can readily find these supplies at any reputable local craft store or craft department for roughly the same price. This would also make a great group project for the class room, scout troop, or party activity. However, if you don’t have time to make them yourself, or you don’t think you are crafty enough, packages of “Love Tokens” containing 2 hand painted hearts are available on Artfire.
Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy crafting. May your year be full of small heartfelt moments…
Coco Watkin is a self-taught artisan offering heirloom quality stained glass and hand painted folk art collectibles as unique gifts and home decor. See her artwork at ByCoco on both Etsy and Artfire. Besides being a columnist for HMN.org, Coco also authors her own Blog, ByCoco: Art for Everyday Enjoyment. Send her your handmade "scoop" through a message on Artfire or a “convo” on Etsy .
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