Hearts Card with White Embossing and Watercolours

It's been a while since I did any white embossing, but this post from Paper Mill Direct reminded me of it's existence and I had to get back to it. I love that the outline is more subtle but that it encloses the watercolour, and it allows for a much softer finish.

The hearts stamp (from See-D's Love Collection, 50509) and the ivory hammered card came from the wonderful stash I inherited last year, and everything else was from my own stock, a lot of which has come from Alexander Paper Supplies. I used a water filled brush to apply the paint, as I love how easy it is to pick up and go. And yes, my watercolour palette is always this messy!

Christmas 2015 - Beaded Wire Heart

This was another one of those ideas that had been floating around my head for a long time... Filling in the empty space of a shape with beads which will catch the lights of a Christmas tree oh so beautifully. I like things that sparkle on the Christmas tree! 

To be honest, my execution of this has disappointed me slightly, as rather than the wire being nice and smooth, I have lots of little wiggles and cricks throughout as I tried to convince the wire to sit where I wanted it to, and not slip off as it felt like it! On the Christmas tree these unique quirks are thankfully less noticeable :)

Tried and Tested Tip Number 31 [Origami Heart]

Well, it's only been two years since the last T&T, that's not too bad, is it?! Hopefully the next one won't take quite so long...

I have needed to make quite a few wedding and anniversary cards recently, and I wanted to continue my adventures into origami! I came across this Simple Decorative Origami Heart on Instructables, which was just what I needed.

[Notice the little gems again, I'm using them everywhere at the moment!]

My folding bone was a real help with this tutorial, especially when opening points up and flattening them down, as well as the standard clean edges. The pattern flowed naturally and they were quick and easy to make. I *think* I used 20cm x 10cm rectangle to create these hearts, which are a nice size on an A6 card.

Because of the details on the heart, I would recommend a lighter paper rather than card, and I would recommend double sided paper - even if the other side is a contrast colour! They're great as gift tags to finish off a present too.

I really recommend this tutorial, and I think it is just flat enough to fit through on the smallest Royal Mail slot, which is always helpful!

Hearts Anniversary Card

The inspiration for this card came from a felt iphone case over at Do Small Things With Love. Whilst the finished card is nothing like I how I originally intended, I really love how it worked out!

All the larger hearts are hand cut (!) due to not having the correct sized punch, but all the smaller hearts are (thankfully!) punch outs. I love the different shades and textures of the red papers, and it was gratefully received :)

Gingerbread Hearts with Hidden Treats

When I saw these Valentine's Heart Cookie Boxes over at Glorious Treats, I knew I had to try something similar!

I used gingerbread instead of sugar cookies because my husband prefers it, and I had run out of eggs! I used my favourite gingerbread recipe, from the old children's cook book, We Can Cook - it's really simple and produces a lovely soft, tasty biscuit.

I cut the shapes out before cooking, and stacked quite a few layers together to leave plenty of room for some Galaxy Minstrels! I "glued" the layers together with milk chocolate.

A simple but cute little bake :)

Motivational Bundle [& Free Printable]

You may have seen this motivational bundle around the internet? Well, when I saw it I loved the idea, but it wasn't quite right for my intended recipients - partly because it's not easy to find Hershey's Hugs and Kisses in the UK, and partly because edible items aren't always appropriate. And so, I came up with this variation.

You may recognise the felt hearts from my Felt Heart Ornaments post? And I packaged everything up, with some tissue paper, in the origami boxes from this Tried & Tested post - everything has it's purpose!

If you'd like to make one using the same elements, I have uploaded a PDF version of the text here, which you're welcome to use to bring motivation to your friends :)

Wedding Card

I love making cards for weddings. I feel like it's a chance to do something a bit exciting, and play around with the concepts of love, and two becoming one.

pearl heart beads from Singapore • pearl thread • pink beads • grey hexagonal beads

pearl paint • cream linen paper • metallic charcoal paper • pink parchment paper

Tried and Tested Tip Number 4 [Heart Envelopes]

I think this is such a cute idea! As soon as I saw it I knew I just had to try it - making simple envelopes out of heart shapes!

Image and tutorial by Forty Weeks

Whenever I make a template I place it in a specific folder so that it's ready if I ever need it again... Thankfully when I decided late the other night to give this a try, I had a heart shape I'd made a while ago just waiting to be used!

I cut it out of wrapping paper to match the presents it was to go with, and a few simple folds later...

I had my envelope! So easy, so simple, and from a blog full of great crafting ideas! I held it closed with a small sticker, so that when opened it could be unfolded to see the heart.

If you're finding it difficult to make a perfect heart, try just drawing half on a folded piece of paper and cutting it out - then both sides will be symmetrical :) If you're still struggling, a simple Google search should help you on your way!