Heart Coaster Tutorial

Apologies for the lack of blogs recently, I’ve not been very well. As such today’s tutorial is a little shorter than I would like. In essence though the technique is the same as in the previous tutorial for the Heart Badges/Magnets on card. I think these make the perfect coasters all year round, hearts are most definitely not confined to Valentine’s Day in our house.

You Will Need

Thin Cardboard

Old Newspapers

PVA glue

Acrylic Paint

Decorative Paper

Quick Drying Gloss Varnish

Step 1

Start by cutting out a large coaster sized heart from the thin cardboard (old cereal boxes work perfectly). As in the previous tutorial, if you want to make sure the hearts are even, fold the cardboard in half then draw half a heart against the fold before unfolding and cutting out. Four to six hearts makes a good sized set if giving as a gift.

Step 2

Using PVA glue, stick nine layers of newspaper to one side of the heart shape. Once dry,  repeat the process on the opposite side. Remember to cut away any excess paper to keep your heart shape neat. If the heart curls slightly when drying, place it under a weight to flatten out. If it has badly curled use a hot dry iron (place brown paper between the shape and the iron), be careful not to burn it.

Step 3

Once dry, paint both sides of the hearts with acrylic paint (I used a burgundy colour).

Next cut out a heart just slightly smaller than your original shape from decorative paper (I used old maps). Stick to the front; as it’s slightly smaller you should see some of the painted edge all the way around.

Step 4

Finally varnish both sides of your coaster with 3 layers of varnish.

 

Love must be in the air – Felt heart kit

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it seems that love is most definitively in the air at the Angel Eden shop.

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Our various craft kits have always been popular, even gracing the pages of several top craft magazines. Recently though one kit in particular has suddenly become our must have item! It seems that customers have been feeling rather romantic of late and our felt heart kits have been selling like hot cakes!

20120124-132526.jpgAs each kit makes two heart brooches I’d love to know if they are destined to be made into two gifts or whether the kit itself is the present. Of course they could be made into romantic decorations, key rings or anything else you can dream up.

20120124-132632.jpgI have to admit that I’m not a massive fan of valentines 8/ it often feels overly commercial despite being an old celebration day. With this in mind my husband and I have set a new rule that our gifts to one another must be handmade. When you can appreciate the time and energy that goes into a present I think it means so much more. Valentine’s Day is also notoriously expensive, with the price of everything from flowers to meals out skyrocketing.

In honour of this most romantic of occasions and to encourage you all to think handmade, I’m very pleased to be able to offer all our blog readers a special discount code which can be used from now until 14th Feb. Enter the code love at the checkout to receive free shipping on all orders.

Lavender Filled Heart Tutorial

It felt like time for a tutorial so this week I am sharing with you instructions to make Lavender filled Hearts. You can hang them wherever you like, but perhaps with the festive season in mind they would make nice gifts.

What You’ll Need

Cardboard

Fabric

Ribbon

Button

Step 1

First you need to create your pattern. Draw a heart onto the cardboard and once your happy with the shape cut it out. Take the shape and draw around it twice onto your fabric and cut out.

Step 2

You should now have two hearts cut out from your fabric. Place these right sides together and sew around the edge, remember to leave a gap about 3cm long on one of the straighter sides to allow the heart to be turned right way out.

Step 3

Turn your heart the right way out, pull it into shape and then press it with an iron. Now you need to fill the heart with dried lavender. Once full sew the open edge shut.

Step 4

Cut a suitable length of ribbon and fold in half. Sew either end of the ribbon to either side of the heart. To finish sew a pretty button onto either side of the ribbon.Then sit back and admire your creation!