Valentine's Day Crafts

While I don't necessarily buy into the modern incarnation of Valentine's Day, I'm a crafts and decor addict, and I couldn't resist creating a few simple and sweet February hearts.

I've always like wood cutouts because they come in so many designs and shapes, and they're inexpensive. This project cost me about $15, including the items that I already owned. The following item list and instructions are loosely based on what I've done, and I've left them a little vague for you to change to your tastes.

You will need:
Wood cutout hearts
Pink paint (I used Americana brand, Baby Pink)
Red paint (Americana brand, Cherry Red)
White paint (Folk Art brand, Wicker White)
Small foam brush (or a flat-style brush)
Small detailing brush (round or rigger style)
Your choice of ribbon
Scissors
Glue gun
Wood glue

1. Paint the hearts to your liking with the foam or flat brush. Let dry completely between layers. You will probably need to do two or three layers to achieve a rich base color. 

2. Use a detailing brush to write letters or create a decorative design. Let dry completely

3. For the layered hearts look (a la the "be mine" hearts), arrange the hearts in the shape you like. It helped me to make a light trace with a pencil on the front of each heart to show me where each should be. Fill in the traced space with wood glue and glue the hearts together. Place a couple of heavy books carefully on top of the hearts and let them dry for a couple of hours.

4. Choose your ribbon. For a reference, I cut about 15 inches of ribbon for the red hearts. It may seem like a lot but there's nothing more frustrating than working with a short piece of ribbon. 

5. Use a hot glue gun to attach the ribbon to the hearts and let cool before hanging up to enjoy!