Paper Swedish Hearts Tutorial

many years ago, a sweet and very excited little artist came home from school

and showed her sisters, brother, and mommy how to make hearts out of paper.

bright construction paper was precisely cut and folded and woven together,

just as she had been taught at school that day by her artistic teacher.

that was the day my third-grade daughter taught ME something!

we had hours of fun making hearts, used them on our Christmas tree,

and then kept the red and white ones up as decor in our home until Valentine's Day.

(i still have those hearts in a box)

ever since, i've used woven paper hearts in my Valentine's Day decorating...

[traditionally known as Swedish Hearts] 

instead of making them from construction paper, 

now i use vintage papers from books and sheet music

 they tuck into flower arrangements, dangle from ribbons, dance across inspiration boards,

and make perfect gift tags or holders for VERY tiny gifts

this is an excellent craft to do with kids of all ages !

 continue reading for my tutorial...

Creating Vintage Charm

 

Welcome to Day 9! 

 today I'd like to share an inspiring resource with you:

Creating Vintage Charm Magazine

this is an absolutely beautiful publication released bi-monthly

from the creative soul of writer, photographer, stylist, and editor Sonia Crouse.

Sonia has assembled a group of creative regular contributors for her magazine

that embody the many styles and moods of romantic decor with a feminine voice...

* photographer & stylist Janet Coons of Shabbyfufu
* photographer & designer Victoria Hayden of Whimsy by Victoria
* photographer Anne Christian Lorys of Fiona & Twig

* artist & stylist Sonia Crouse of Creating Vintage Charm

* designer & decorator Siobhan Volkanovski of The Vintage Dormer
 * designer & artisan Heather Anderson of Post Road Vintage
 and me,
* designer & stylist Debi Ward Kennedy of HOMEWARDfound Decor

each issue also features lovely guest features by and about women

who are traveling, cooking, creating, building businesses, decorating their homes -

all living with vintage charm...
women like Karen Hillman, who hosts the Queens of Art event

the magazine is available in print via MagCloud,

in single copies or an annual subscription.

BUY the WINTER ISSUE HERE

 these photos are just a petite taste of the content inside each issue...

and NOW,

you can find the same beautiful kinds of inspiring images that appear in the magazine

on a new Pinterest board:"Creative Vintage Contributors"

features images of the original projects, work, creations, homes, and styling

pinned by the contributors to the magazine

 follow by clicking here for sneak peeks of upcoming issues! 
 

Creating Vintage Charm Links
website

blog

facebook page

pinterest

 

 stay tuned for the next post in our daily countdown, coming up tomorrow

here on the blog or on ONE of these social networking sites:

Embellished Gift Wraps

add a handmade touch to your gifts this Christmas  

by embellishing them with re-purposed materials!

these gifts were wrapped with paper that has a sweater print 

(from an old line by MODA Home called 'fUnKy MoNkEy'!)

and then embellished with vintage trims...

detail shots below:

 a lace doily evokes snowflakes, 

and a tiny grass nest with vintage flower petals adds a touch of real nature.

 Vintage lace and a sweet carnation pin made from vintage fabric (re-usable!) stand in for a bow

[similar pins available from Rose~Marie Designs]

pinwheel posies are made from the edges of canvas painter's tarps, rolled & glued.

attach to a gift with glue dots, over a piece of Christmas sheet music.

[this makes a great solution for gifts to be mailed - no bows to squash!]

feminine vintage trims make for luxurious wrappings...

wrap a gift IN a sweater!

sew an 'envelope' from the body of a sweater, pop a gift box inside, and safety pin the top closed.

On top, a pouffe of beautiful ribbon or trim, a satin bow, and a bling-y rhinestone clip.

rosettes are made from cashmere sweater arm cuffs. just roll up and stitch to hold.

attach to gift with a drop of hot glue. 

the perfect accent for a sweater is PEARLS... dripping on top of the gift like a tree garland!

sometimes very simple materials get BIG results: 

Sew an envelope from canvas, and tuck in vintage sheet music or a favorite magazine.

Fold closed and tie with vintage trims - like velvet ribbon or seam binding and a canvas flower.

 

for a more rustic masculine look, combine burlap and twine (from the hardware store!). 

a vintage belt buckle on it's original sales card adds more texture.
 

making use of vintage trims not only makes for beautiful packages that save resources

[including your MoNeY]

 but they also offer a 'bonus' re-usable gift to the recipient: a pin, flowers, a nest, ribbon, pearls.... 

take a peek in your junk drawer and craft closet, 

and see what you can find to embellish YOUR gifts this season!

 this post and Monday's post are companions to my article in

the 2012 Holiday issue of Creating Vintage Charm Magazine 

Wrap It With Style!

To be a top-notch guest at Holiday parties, 

always bring a thoughtful gift for the host/hostess

and wrap it with STYLE!

 
Here are a few ideas that coordinate with my current story
in Creating Vintage Charm Magazine

 the Holiday 2012 Issue is available in print HERE

 Giving a lovely bottle of wine, port, champagne, or liquor

is an elegant way to thank a host or hostess for inviting you...

*Make a 'sweater cozy' for decanters and wine bottles - simply cut the arm off of a lovely sweater, and scrunch over the bottle. Tie a bauble around the bottle's neck for a finishing touch.

*Use a stocking as a wine bag! Tuck a bit of tissue into the toe of a stocking, then sit a bottled beverage inside. With a snippet of greenery or more tissue at the top, it's charming and re-usable!

*Simply wrap a bit of burlap, linen, ticking, or other fabric around a bottle (double-stick tape works really well) and then tie with twine. Add a vintage earring or brooch for some bling to dress it up!

Here's a foolproof 'gift bag' idea:

 Tuck a bottle into an old cowboy boot, and add a cushion of burlap.
Perfect for any man or woman with 'cowboy chic style'!

Since we've all seen the 'coffee can as cookie container' trick,

I have a few new ideas for that, as well:

*Simply tie some rustic twine around a silver can for an industrial look. Add a tag made from an old spoon.

 *Make a sweater cozy for a can - cut off the arm of a sweater and sew one end closed. Scrunch it over a can and tie the top with a bow made from vintage lace.

*Vintage metal containers are still a stylish way to present baked goods!
Find them at thrift stores and antique shops,
then add a seasonal detail like a small burlap wreath.

Coming Up: more from my current Creating Vintage Charm article...
Stylish Wraps for Gifts Under the Tree!