Hello, dear crafters! Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into another fun-filled DIY project? I’m thrilled to walk you through this nostalgic crafting journey. We’re going to create something truly special today, just in time for Valentine’s Day. I’m showing you how to craft some beautiful vintage hearts using old book pages and small vintage treasures.
There is something inherently romantic about vintage items and decor. And that makes the season of love the perfect time to showcase our vintage favorites. In the video below, I show you how to make vintage Valentine hearts that are the perfect addition to your holiday decor. So grab your Mod Podge and your glue gun, and let’s get crafting!
How to Make Vintage Valentine Hearts
There’s something profoundly enchanting about vintage pieces, isn’t there? Each one carries a story, a whisper from the past, that adds a layer of depth and character to our homes. It’s like stepping into a time machine, where every item has a tale to tell, a love story to share.
Vintage décor is romantic, not just in the traditional sense, but in its ability to evoke nostalgia, curiosity, and a connection to the past.
Creating a home with a focus on the vintage is like crafting a love letter to the past, a nod to the stories that have shaped us. It’s a gentle reminder that our homes, like us, are beautifully layered with history and memories.
With this fun Valentine’s Day project we get to bring our own vintage treasures and creativity into the mix. I hope you love these hearts as much as I do!
Vintage Hearts Tips and Tricks
These pretty hearts are very simple to make but I do have a couple of tips to make your project even easier. I like to use a variety of different book and music pages in my projects. This adds interest and beauty in simple ways. However, not all paper is created equal. Which means that you will run into different thicknesses and levels of deterioration.
So, while you are choosing your pages, make sure that they will be strong enough to hold up to the Mod Podge. On the flip side, if you find pages that are super thick, you don’t need to skip using them, but they will take a little more care. The reason for this is that the thick paper will take awhile to absorb the glue and become malleable. It is also trickier to get it to lay down flat. There is a simple trick for this though!
Working with Thicker Paper
Just dampen the paper slightly with a fine mist of water. This will start the absorption process for you. That way you aren’t using and ton of glue that could make your project look messy. And you aren’t having to avoid those pretty pages that happen to be on thick paper.
Another trick for working with rounded surfaces like these hearts is to use smaller chunks of paper. This will let you round those edges and not have to worry about your paper creasing and bending.
The last thing that I want to mention is to take extra care with any handwritten pages that you have. These are some of my favorite pieces to use because you can picture the actual person at the other end of the pen in a way you can’t with typed pages. I love that connection and the uniqueness it brings to my projects.
That being said, handwritten ink and Mod Podge are not the best of friends. The glue can smear ink and make a mess of your unique treasure. To avoid this, I make sure that I add my handwritten bits at the very end of my project. Once I have given the whole heart a layer of glue, then I go back and gently glue my handwriting pieces on. This way I won’t smear the ink and loose the beauty.
How to Make Vintage Valentine Hearts Supply List
- Blank hearts (paper mache, wooden blanks, cardboard, etc..)
- Mod Podge
- Paint brush
- Old book pages and sheet music
- Glue gun
- Small vintage treasures
- Seam binding and vintage lace
How to Make Vintage Valentine Hearts Instructions
- Start by choosing your favorite book pages. Look for pages with interesting text or illustrations that will add a unique touch to your hearts. Tear out these pages carefully. I like to take my pages from a variety of old books. That way I have a good mix of different fonts, content, paper colors, and images.
- One thing that I always do when working with book or music pages is to tear off the edges. That blank space around the edges can be distracting to the eye when we add it onto a project. This step is totally optional! I just prefer not to use those large areas of blank space. Instead, I get to fill the space with more varieties of text.
- Now grab your Mod Podge and paint brush. Start to tear bits of your pages and add them to your heart, one at a time. To do this, brush the glue onto your heart. Then place your book page piece. Next, brush the glue over the paper.
- Continue adding paper scraps this way until your whole heart is covered. Once it is well covered, add a coat of glue to the whole heart. Then allow the Mod Podge to dry.
- Time to bring in those small vintage treasures! Arrange them on your heart in a way that pleases your eye. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, hot glue them down.
- I start with my seam binding and vintage lace. I add them in at the top and in other places. Then I go back in with items like jewels, tags, and keys.
The Wrap Up
So, are you ready to fall in love with vintage décor? I hope this post has inspired you to explore the romance of vintage style in your Valentine decor.
I would love to see how you use these vintage Valentine hearts in your own home. So if you post any pictures of them on social media, tag me so I can check them out! Remember, there’s no right or wrong in crafting – it’s all about having fun and letting your creativity shine.
Happy crafting, my fellow vintage lovers! Keep exploring, keep creating, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process. And as always, I hope you love this project as much as I do!
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If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami’s Making. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!
