Rustic hearts from salvaged junk for Valentine’s Day
If you give a junker a holiday that’s traditionally pink and ruffles, that junker has a challenge on their hands!
So a while back, I took it on and came up with these rustic hearts from salvaged junk for Valentine’s Day. And they’re just neutral enough to leave up year around if you keep a few for yourself!
These cute little cardboard embellished hearts can be tucked in the smallest places while still telling a story.
Any texture or treatment is possible! I haven’t made one I haven’t fallen in love with yet.
Here’s how I did it!
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Supplies I used:
Cardboard
Craft supplies such as buttons, twine, spanish moss, craft bark, mop head, burlap, etc.
Scissors
How to:
1. Scout out anything you like to look at.
Craft supplies such as buttons, twine, spanish moss, craft bark, mop head, burlap, etc. As long as you can glue it onto something small, it’ll work.
2. Draw and cut hearts out of cardboard. The more freehand, the better.
Nice thing about cardboard is, it’s light, yet sturdy. The treatments will bulk up your hearts some so you want something stable enough to do the job without adding more weight.
3. Start going on a hot glue gun frenzy with all your chosen craft supplies and watch those little hearts come to life!
For the bark, the strips were hot glued on…
… then trimmed with scissors. Just don’t ‘tell your mom’ you used your best sewing ones…
Maybe we should all carry some craft scissors!
For the button Valentine heart, I would suggest to paint the heart first.
For example, mine could have been painted white for white buttons.
I just used more buttons to compensate.
This is mop string cut from a mop head. It’s great stuff!
After the sides were trimmed down, I ran a double width along the edges to clean it up. And I left the long quirky tails too.
Aren’t these rustic little Valentine hearts cute?!
I love the Valentine heart profiles too. Each craft supply gives it a different depth.
Super quirky, but very fun and unique!
I think this burlap Valentine heart is my favorite, with coordinating brown buttons!
These little rustic Valentine hearts look very cute pinned onto this rustic bulletin board (tutorial here) too!
Quite honestly, these little rustic Valentine hearts were just an excuse to make something seasonal and not have to take it down anytime soon!
Think you’ll make some too?
Other rustic Valentine’s Day projects you may enjoy:
Reclaimed wood coffee mug hanger
Reclaimed wood LOVE heart used 3 ways
Tic Tac Toe board game tray from a Valentine’s Day stencil
Those hearts are fantastic and you just gave me some ideas. Thank you and Happy Valentine’s Day to you dear Donna.
FlowerLady
….love the bark one!
Great idea!!!! I can’t wait to try that with all the junk I have. Love ’em!
Donna I love these! All of them – I keep thinking ‘oh the bark one is my fav’ and then I think ‘no the mop string one is my fav’ and then I think ‘no wait…’!!!! You did a great job of hearts that look great with junque and rust!
Ditto, what Donna said!!
Love these darling little hearts, so creative! And your rustic bulletin board is awesome!
Happy Valentine’s to you
Cindy 😉
Such wonderful ideas….I needed some neutral inspiration. Pink and red just don’t always work…thanks!
Love all the hearts. Instead of painting the cardboard white, just use white cardboard. (I save everything) White is not too common though.
Thank you for sharing this great idea! I am definitely going to explore my stash with your idea.
These are so clever! I love them so much I’m going to share them on my ‘Weekly Wonders’ post tomorrow morning. I hope you’ll stop by! Thank you for sharing! ~Lisa
With the button one, you could just glue on a page from a book first, instead of painting it. I hate to wait for the paint to dry before I get to the fun part!
I love these,they are so much better than all the ruffles with lace and red and pink. Thanks for sharing, I’m inspired.
These look amazing Donna- I can’t even pick a favourite. So creative and thrifty- I love the cardboard as the background! Thanks for sharing – pinned:)
Ok I don’t know who ever told you that you weren’t crafty…. These are flipping adorable Donna… and oh so crafty lady!
Haha, well, you sure made me smile today! Signed, kinda crafty junker now that Susan says so. 🙂
You have given me some great ideas. I think I may try a heart with cut up pink and red scrapbook paper in small pieces and make a collage. Thanks.
I love hearts all year long not just for Valentines Day. These ones you made are very cool and I like that they can be used all year too.
So beautiful!! Great and lovely idea; thank you very much for sharing.
Donna your little hearts are darling ideas! Thanx for the inspiration. Jo
These are so unique!! And you created them out of practically nothing! Great use of everyday objects!!