Valentine's Heart Garland

Hurrah for decorating! And hurrah for crafting homemade decorations that help a house feel like a cozy home. The personal touches that go into homemade decorations make for charming displays (and gifts). This year I made a Valentine Garland using our Magical Forest Fairy Crafts Through the Seasons book. And then we used the garland for a delightful Valentine themed campsite at Inn Town Campground.

The garland can be made by anyone- children or adults. I find myself making decorations even when my children are older, because I love being able to share the spirit of homemade in every season.

And it helps that winter is one of my favorite seasons for crafting. As the wind blusters and blows outside and rain (or snow) piles up everywhere, it’s lovely to sit with thread, sequins, and felt.

For this garland, I followed the directions on page 108 for the leaf garland. The next page has ideas for making our own patterns and garlands. I used the heart as inspiration.

One thing that we believe strongly is that children (and adults) benefit immensely from Invitations to Create. These are ideas or questions that encourage independent thinking. We have encountered a few times where folks say, “Why don’t you tell them what to do instead of asking what they want? Don’t most craft books give instructions?”

Well, we give instructions and offer ideas for inventions and creative growth. After all, the world needs creative problem solvers and innovation. Why not encourage that with invitations to make craft projects unique?

For my garland, I found the pom poms already made (or you could search online for pom poms or felt balls if you want to make those, too). I cut a stack of red hearts. One hint, it’s easier, for me, to cut when the pattern is another piece of felt- paper is slippery. So I cut one heart using the pattern on Page 136, then used that heart to cut more. You could also trace the heart onto the felt and cut that way. Whatever feels fun for you :)

I sewed across the top third of my hearts, adding red sequins. I used large stitches. Between each heart, I strung a pom pom.

If you don’t know how to sew, or if you’re making with children, our book has all of the steps for tying knots, adding sequins, and even cutting patterns. It’s an engaging, and rewarding, quick craft that can decorate anywhere from a mantle, windowsill, or campsite.

Share the love :)

Discover directions for the heart garland in Magical Forest Fairy Crafts through the Seasons (which has ideas for many seasonal crafts). And visit the Inn Town Campground for your own enchanted getaway in the forest :)

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