Valentine's Day Decor Project

Ok, I know it's a little late to be making Valentine's Day decorations, but I felt like I needed to put something love-y up in honor of the day.  Because I ended up having to work today, added to the fact that we are crazy busy with getting some things in order in our house and moving furniture around, I decided I could pause just long enough to pull something from the archives that most of you probably haven't seen (and it is a pretty fast project!)... enjoy!

Rochelle and I got together over this past weekend and decided we needed to add some LOVE to our home decor for Valentine's Day! Here is our "heart-themed" result:

I had this old frame from the dollar store, and its backing was really really warped. I ended up taking it off, along with the glass, and giving it a good spray down with some black spray paint. Then I was left with a very empty (but much more attractive) frame.

I thought it would look really cute with something hanging from the top part of the frame, so that's what led me to this idea - I've seen this technique done on wreaths and things like that, but I thought I would try it on a heart!



Here's how to make this:
1. Trace a heart onto some cardboard from an empty cereal box, and cut it out.
2. Cut out circles about 2- 2.5" in diameter from desired fabric (I should have counted them, but I would say it was at least 50 circles).
3. Point a pencil into the middle of the circle and pull it tight around the point (so it looks like a cone), and apply hot glue to the end; then stick the circle on the heart, and repeat, adding the subsequent circles close together, so if has a very dense "petal-like" texture.
4. I added the red border, but you could just keep it all one color, or try multiple colors!
5. To hang, I used some ribbon - just made a loop over the frame and hot glued it to the back of the heart. Easy!
6. To hang the frame, same idea - I just glued the ends of some ribbon to the top corners of the frame, and voila! You have a brand new Valentine's decoration, for FREE!

Do you like?

Here is Rochelle's version:

I used the same cardboard base as Marissa, but cut out a heart from the center. Then I cut 1- inch wide strips from three different fabrics; a white muslin, a red and white gingham, and red cotton jersey from an old T-shirt (I ♥ recycling!). I tied the strips in tight knots around the border, 3 in a row of the same color, then alternating colors. Lastly, I trimmed all the strips to be the same length. I can't decide if I like it more with the knots in the back or in the front. I kinda like both ways!

Here's with the knots in the back...

And this is what it looks like with the knots in the front.

Super easy, and since we used what we already had on hand, we didn't spend a dime! Now that's what I call a sweet deal!