My Heart -- A Tutorial

Remember in Elementary school, when your teacher taught you how to fold a piece of paper in half and draw a number 2 on it?

You were supposed to 'ignore' the line and just cut out the '2' part. I can still see all of the various designs the kids had cut out, including the line. Some were fat, some skinny, some cut in half 'cause they didn't fold it right. Individuality makes the world go around!

For this Tutorial, you'll need to make a couple of these patterns in various sizes. Make sure you allow for a 1/4" seam allowance.

We're going to paint these so you will need to get some muslin or, what I like to use, denim. No need to go to the fabric store. Look in your closet or a thrift store and find some light colored old jeans. I like to use the 'inside' of the fabric to paint on.

Cut them out, sew them up, & stuff them. 

Find yourself some acrylic paint color of your choice.

For mine, I used Americana Cranberry Wine and Delta Ceramcoat Gypsy Rose.

You can use a brush or sponge but get the paint on there; one side at a time.

Get them nice and dried (I put mine in front of a box fan or just let them dry overnight).

Give them a light sanding with 120 grit sandpaper.

You can use Stiffy, ModPodge, or watered-down Elmer's white glue for this next step. Saturate your doily and lay it on your heart.

You can let the doily dry at this point or work with it wet as I've done.

 I use my cinnamon/vanilla stain mix for this next step.

Use a brush of your choice to stain the doily.

I then bake my hearts at 200 for about 40 min. or so. You can also sun-bake these if you have other things to do.

After they are dry, it's time to add the embellishments!

Gather up your supplies and let her rip! Oh, for PETE'S sake can you NOT contain yourselves? You're like those kids that had to cut the line out of there '2'!! Inappropriate choice of wording there so just have fun decorating your hearts......how's that!

I made these with muslin strips and my brown ink and stamps. I did stain mine but had stamped first. DON'T do this unless you have fabric inks as mine washed away in the stain mix. I just stamped again and they turned out fab!

This is a variety of different fabrics that I used as well as the ones I painted. There is no wrong way to decorate! The "World is your Oyster"! Just what does that really mean? I don't like oysters in the least so I'd hate to think they were my world??!

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Wanted to share a Giveaway win that I keep forgetting to share with you from Marilyn of HARVEST MOON PRIMS.

I won her Sugar Lumps and they are SOOOOOO Adorable!

They make me giggle and giggles are GOOD things, right Martha?!!!

Have fun making the Heart!

}}Hugs{{
Vicky