All Dressed Up Valentine

Hey gals. First off. Can I just say that yesterday, I got to have a little morning SURPRISE! WHat? That was so fun for me! Fun doesn't really express it. More like, I screamed. And tried to think of someone to call! So if any of you are here as a result of the UCreate Magic.....WELCOME!



Today, I wanna show you some more easy, cheap, and cute ideas for your Valentines decor.

For all of my valentines ideas this year so far, go HERE.

I started with some basics to help out my mantle.  These pre-cut wooden hearts are from The Hob Lob.  And I got them for 30% off.  Sweet! 

I also bought a styrofoam wreath form.  And one red feather boa.

• Paint your pieces with base colors.  This year we're doing mostly red and black around here. 

It is really worth it to paint your styrofoam pieces.  Some will inevitably show through, and this way it's completely covered up.

• Wrap your boa around your wreath frame, hot gluing as you go.

I could have definitely used 2 boas for this.  But I'm cheap, and too lazy to go get another one.  If you wrap with pretty big space in between, you can hot glue individual feathers down to cover the spaces. 


Also, work with a definite BACK in mind.  That way you can bring the fullness forward to the front.


Remember that no one is going to inspect it, so little spaces is fine.  Unless you'd like to go get a second boa.


Personally, I found it easier to cut the boa into thirds and wrap with the smaller pieces.  They were WAY less cumbersome.  And you'll NEVER see the breaks.

• I used my trusty Silhouette Machine (Miss Scarlett) to cut out a crazy awesome Damask shape.  And I used the negative space as a stencil.

See THIS post for some detailed "how-to's" and "tips" on using vinyl cut outs as stencils.

• From a design standpoint, consider doing some things off center.  I did this about 1/3 on the heart, and left the last 1/3 off.  It looks REALLY cool that way.  And isn't so "centered".

First I added ONE heart to my wreath, and some B&W polka dot ribbon.  (because that ribbon and I are like Donny & Marie.  We CANNOT do anything alone!)

Here's a closer one of that little offset Damask heart. Isn't he marvie!?!

You saw that my heart bag came full of little wooden hearts?  So I made the rest into a garland for my mantle.  (and I may have had to add a few in my houndstooth pattern too.  Just because the FRAME turned out so great!)

• I used a 1/8 grosgrain ribbon strung through the hearts and also used some black beads and some glitter black ribbon.  The beads were an old necklace that fell apart. (and I couldn't bare to part with the beads)  The ribbon is a Hob Lob original.
• I put the beads exactly where I wanted, and I put a dab of hot glue on either side to keep them from sliding.  
• I also strung the garland TIGHT so that I could tuck the hearts behind the tightened string.  It's keeping them facing forward.
• I'm kind of a minimalist person, so the garland is pretty understated.  I love it.

Ah....Valentines Day is spreading it's love all around our house.  Yipee!  What you got goin' on at your house?