Valentine Heart Art for your Home

I wanted to warm up my kitchen for February with Valentines-themed art work. But the pieces had to compliment the simple, country decor of the room -- no garrish red and pink. I have a mantel-style hood above my stove which I use to display decorative vignettes, frequently changing out the items acccording to the season or my mood. For February I wanted hearts, an easy pattern to render in two of my favorite mediums: vintage buttons and decorative papers. In one weekend I made two small art pieces and managed to satisfy both my desire for pretty decorations and (at least temporarily) the creative itch. Here's how I did it:

I love old buttons and frequently pick them up at flea markets and antique malls. I have a large jar of cream and pearl colored plastic buttons and knew they would give me the neutral, tone-on tone look I was after. Being plastic, they were also very cheap (mother-of-pearl buttons tend to be more expensive). Supplies included:

• vintage buttons
• cream fabric (I used muslin cut from an old dresser scarf)
• 11x14" canvas
• needle and thread (all purpose cotton in cream)
• staple gun
• sawtooth picture hanger

How To: Cut the fabric to fit the canvas leaving a 1.5 inch border around all 4 sides. Trace the outline of a heart in pencil directly on the fabric. Select and position a button and hold it in place with one hand, while sewing it to the fabric with the other. Working with one button at a time, vary the heights and textures to make a pleasing combination as you fill in the heart shape. Once the heart is complete, turn it upside down on your work surface and place the canvas over the back of the fabric, centered over the heart. Pull the fabric up over one side of the canvas and secure it to the back using a staple gun. Do the same with the three other sides of the canvas, pulling tight on the fabric now that you have one side secure. If you're going to hang the piece, attach a picture hanger in the center at the top of the back of the canvas.

Note: An assemblage of buttons sewn to fabric is somewhat heavy. If you are concerned about the buttons causing the fabric to pull away from the canvas over time, here is a technique to try. Spread a thin, even layer of craft glue across the entire canvas before attaching the fabric. Or you might want to try a product called Omni-Gel -- like craft glue it's acid free and dries clear, but its heavier substance prevents it from seeping through the fabric, which can alter its appearance.

I wanted to introduce a little red into my Valentines arrangement, but not too much. An appliqued quilt block inspired this piece, with paper and glue standing in for fabric and thread. Supplies:

• 8x8" canvas
• decorative paper (Scrapbooking paper is great. I used Jenni Bowlin Classic Red/Black Paper Pad)
• PVA (white, craft-type glue. I use Mod Podge)
• sponge brush, disposable container, a small sponge or rag, glass pie plate

1) Prep your papers: Cut your background paper into 2x2" squares, it will take 16 to cover the front of your canvas. If you'd like to cover the sides of the canvas, cut 8.5" long strips to fit each of the 4 sides. Cut your heart from a different paper. For my heart template, I traced around a scalloped cookie cutter and then enlarged the tracing to the size I wanted on a copier.

2) Decoupage: Pour a little of the glue in the disposable container and add a tiny amount of water to thin it. Brush a thin coat of glue over the surface of the canvas. Partially fill the pie plate with warm water and place your paper, one piece at a time, in the water until the edges of the paper unfurl. (How long this takes depends on the heaviness of the paper stock, anywhere from a few seconds to a minute or more). Position the wet paper on the glue-covered canvas. Continue with each piece of paper until your design is complete, then carefully brush over the top with another thin layer of glue. Dampen your small sponge or rag and brush off any excess glue. (Note: If you're covering the sides of the canvas, do these first.) Let the canvas dry completely -- several hours to overnight. Follow the same decoupage process with the paper heart, but this time brush the first layer of glue on to the back of the heart, glue it in place. Cover the entire surface of the design with a thin topcoat of glue. The glue will secure the design in place and provide a protective topcoat. Allow the canvas to dry completely.

There are many great books that focus exclusively on the decoupage technique. Two of my favorites are New Decoupage by Durwin Rice and Decoupage by Maggie Pryce.