Heart Sun Catcher DIY

Now that Christmas is over, I can share this new tutorial! I made the sun catcher in the picture as a present for my mum, so I couldn’t post until now in case she saw!

This is slightly fiddly to put together – one of those projects that could do with an extra hand or two – but the method is relatively simple! 

You’ll need:

Beading wire (I used .012 diameter)

Jewellery wire (I used approx 2mm wire)

Lots of small beads and/or crystal chip beads

Large clear bead/charm for the centre

Ribbon

1 split ring

Jump rings

Crimps

Tools:

Tape measure

Wire cutters

Flat-nosed pliers

Round-nosed pliers

Fake Fur Heart Cushion

Is everyone ready for Valentines Day?

I have another Valentines-worthy craft to share with you today! 

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This furry heart cushion was put together in a morning, using leftover fabrics and trim.

I previously used the dark gold fabric for my jewellery display board and also on a skirt--talk about multi-functional! 

 

I chose the colours for my cushion to match my room, but this would look great with different colours and patterns, too!

Here’s an easy tutorial if you want to make your own heart cushion!

You’ll need:

Cushion pad

Fabric for cushion base

Fake fur for heart

Heart template

Trim (enough to go around the heart)

Glue (optional)

Thread to match your fabric(s)

Tools:

Sewing machine/needle and thread

Scissors

Pinking shears (optional)

Ruler

Measuring tape

Marking chalk or pencil

1. Measure your cushion pad and add seam allowance.
Cut two pieces of fabric:

• 1 x your cushion measurement (e.g. 15”x15”) for the back.
• 1 x your cushion measurement with half that added on one side (e.g. 15”x22.5”) for the back flap and front. It helps to draw out the original measurement and then add on the extra half-width as it gives you a line to work with in step 2!

2. Fold the back flap over onto the front of the fabric and crease. This will make it easier to attach the heart centrally to the front of the cushion.

3. Draw around your heart template onto the back of the fake fur and cut out.

            Tip: Use small snips of the scissors and cut only through the back of the fur to avoid having lots of loose fibres everywhere!

4. Attach the heart to the centre of the cushion. I took the lazy route and glued it, but hand-stitching is just as good. (The great thing with fake fur is that it doesn’t need hemming!)

If you pick the same option as me, leave the glue to dry before moving to the next step! Don’t get gluey fingers like I did!

5. Pin the trim around the edge of the heart and sew. To avoid sewing through the fake fur, brush the fibres back with your fingertips as you go.

6. Hem the end of the back flap and one edge of the back piece of fabric, for the opening. I didn’t hem the back piece on mine because I used the edge of the fabric, which had already been finished.

7. Right side facing up, fold the back flap down over the front of the cushion. Lay the back piece of fabric (hemmed edge at the top, overlapping the back flap) over the top.

8. Pin the bottom and sides, then sew. Since my fabric frays a lot, I used pinking shears to finish off the seams!

9. Turn the cushion cover the right way, using a pencil to turn the corners. You should have a neat little envelope opening at the back. Stuff in your cushion pad, and you’re done!

10. Enjoy alone, or with cushiony friends :)

Will be linking up to the fabulous parties at the bottom of the page!
Will also link up at this brand spanking new linky party for tutorials!

Valentines Heart Vase

I’ve had these hearts in my stash since I bought them from Poundland last year! At the time I thought, ‘Great! Something for Valentines crafting!’

…then I couldn’t think of what to do with them.

This year, I came up with this:

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I probably spent about ten to fifteen minutes putting this together. Here’s a little how-to!

You’ll need:

A vase

Hearts on a stick (or skewer some loose polystyrene hearts!)

Moss*

Oasis or polystyrene

Ribbon (not pictured since it was an afterthought!)

Scrap paper or newspaper to work on

Scissors

PVA Glue (optional)

 

*I used moss from the garden for this, which isn’t ideal really! Since I don’t have any of that lovely soft moss for crafting with (and any place I might get it is unreachable without someone to drive me) I just went outside and picked some up! I let it dry overnight on the boiler.

…crafting moss, or whatever it’s actually called, is definitely the best option though :)

Enough of my rambling, here’s that tutorial!

1.  Cut a piece of oasis to fit the bottom of the vase, with space around it.

2. Trim the sticks of the hearts down to size. I used scissors for this since the dowel was only thin. Push them into the oasis as you want.

3. Arrange moss on the top of the oasis, around the sticks.

4. Set the piece carefully into the vase and add more moss around the edges. I know, this doesn’t look pretty, does it?! Moss from the garden really doesn’t work well (it didn’t help that a lot of it went brown lol)

Alternative to steps 3-4: Glue moss on the top and sides of the oasis before setting it in the vase.

5. Wrap ribbon around the base of the vase and tie in a bow. For me, this hid the nasty sides of the arranged piece inside the vase, but it’s also a nice finishing touch! 

I’ve still got a couple of these hearts left...knowing what I’m like, they’ll lurk in my stash until next year!

Check back soon for another Valentines-related craft :)


Will be linking up at the parties at the bottom of the page!

Printable: Love Heart

Printables are always a fun thing to sit down and make; since V-day is approaching I thought I'd try to come up with more than just the Valentine's Day coupons printable that I posted the other day.

Inspired by a painting I did many years ago, I created this 'Love Heart' printable in several colourways.

To Download: Click the image to be redirected to a page where you can view, print and download a PDF.
Size: 8"x10"

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Will be linking up here!/the parties at the bottom of the page!

Printable: Valentine's Coupons

Valentine's Day is on its way!

If you're stuck for what to give that special someone, maybe wanting to add that little bit extra to their gift, or looking for a fun alternative to the standard card and chocolates, then how about this free Valentine's Day coupons printable?

Print off, cut out, bundle together and give to your loved one!

Click the images to be redirected to a page where you can download these printables for free.
I've included a blank set, for your own choice of 'gift'.

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Both PDF files should print up at A4 size.

Coupons include:
Hugs & Kisses
Back-rub
Home-cooked Dinner
Home-made Chocolates
Night In: Movies & Takeout
Night In: Cocktails & Games
Night In: Your Choice (x2)
Date Night! Movies
Date Night! Dinner Out
Date Night! Your Choice (x2)
Daytime Date: Fun in the Park
Daytime Date: Lunch Out
Daytime Date: Your Choice (x2)

These were made to give only vague guidance as to the 'gift' redeemable and be adaptable depending on the person. For example, a sporty type might like to go and play football in the park followed by a picnic, somebody more nature-loving might enjoy a gentle stroll amongst the trees, spotting the native wildlife :)

So what are you waiting for? Download, print out, and share the love!

Looking for more Valentines printables? Check out my Love Heart printable, available in several colourways!

Linking up here/the parties at the bottom of the page, and:

Valentine's Day Craft Recap

Yet again v-day is creeping up on us! I don't have that special someone to send a card to or craft a gift for, but I still like to craft things that are 'Valentine-y'!

This year I've yet to make anything that falls into this category, but here's a recap of my favourites from last year's Valentine season. Back then I didn't have a clue about things like link parties and so on, so they kind of got lost in the internet undergrowth :)

First off, here's a little necklace I made. It was slightly fiddly to make, but turned out well (and even better considering it was made entirely of things I had to hand!)

Key To Your Heart Necklace

Let's move on to something small and easy-peasy:

Beaded hanging heart

One of my absolute favourites! I've had the beads since I was a child so it was nice to finally find a good use for them!

'Heartcatcher'
This was pretty fiddly to put together, but turned out pretty well, I think!
If I make another one, I'd probably make the loops tighter.



Messy Metal Wire Heart
My absolute fave of all my hanging hearts! (Check the valentine's tag to see all of them!)
Making this took a while and it got to the point where bending it was difficult, but it's cute and unusual, and the messy style is very definitely me :)

Little hanging hearts aside, of course there's lots of other V-day crafts out there! I went a bit mad with heart-related crafting last year, as you can see...

Button Badge Heart Picture
This took ages! ...and I took it apart again a few days afterwards. Haha.



Ruffled Heart Wreath
Despite my rather slap-dash approach to making this, it turned out pretty well! Unlike the button badge picture above, it's still in one piece.

I'm still struggling to regain my crafting mojo, but here's hoping I'll come up with something new to share here soon! 

Valentine's Recap

With Valentine’s Day mere hours away, here’s a recap of this year’s Valentine-related posts on Unfortunately Oh!

These ‘hanging hearts’ are a cheap, quick way to finish off Valentine’s décor. All seven of these could easily be made inside a day with time to spare.

Tutorials:

Fabric heart with charm

Scented hanging heart

Beaded heart

Recycled soft drinks can heart

‘Heartcatcher’

Engraved wooden heart

Messy wire hanging heart

This button badge heart picture is a remake of a fantastic picture selling online at £175. The original 'Button Badge Heart Picture' by Brigitte Herod costs far more than I can afford, so I made my own--and explained the process in this handy how-to.

Another heart for hanging on display was this heart-shaped wreath, made using wire, a florist’s decoration, and some ruffled trim. Again, this was posted on Unfortunately Oh!: Ruffled Heart Wreath Tutorial

To all the jewellery lovers out there, this Key To Your Heart necklace tutorial is for you!

And of course, where would we all be without a little shopping?  In ‘Valentine’s Décor’ I looked at what’s on offer at three stylish online shops. Pictured above: Heart bowl and nibble dish set, £33 (includes a bowl, 3 dip dishes & spoons plus a tray) and Gingham heart tea cosy, £30 (various colours).

Whether you're attached or single, I hope you all have a fabulous valentine's day! 

Tutorial: Messy Metal Wire Hanging Heart

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Here’s the last one of these hanging heart tutorials! This heart steps away from the cliché reds, pinks, and softness associated with Valentine’s day in favour of a more industrial inspired style.

Time needed: approx 1 hour

You’ll need:

Various gauges of wire

Pliers (heavy duty and jewellery pliers)

Bead stringing wire

Crimps

Beads

Cord or ribbon for hanging

1. As with the heart dream-catcher tutorial, make a circle with your thickest gauge wire (an old coat hanger is good) and form a loop by bending one end of the wire and wrapping the other end around the loop.

2. Reshape into a heart and wrap 2-3 other lengths of wire around that shape.

3. Wrap 2-3 lengths of finer wire (I used jewellery wire) around the heart, being sure to wrap it several times around each end of the wire left sticking out in step 2.  Also wrap a length of wire around the hook you created in step 1.

4. Use a crimp to attach the end of a length of bead-stringing wire to the top centre of the heart, closing the crimp with flat nosed pliers.

Thread on another crimp, then your bead(s) and two more crimps. Don’t close the crimps yet.

Fix the end of the wire to the bottom point of the heart with the lowermost crimp on the wire and cut off any excess wire.

Position the beads on the wire and close the crimps to set in place.

5. Add a piece of cord or ribbon to hang. 

I hope you guys have enjoyed and been inspired by these heart tutorials! I've had fun making them and experimenting with different materials!