This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. All opinions are my own.
Valentine’s Day is on the way and it’s time to think about decorating for the month of love. Today I’m sharing how to make a DIY Valentine’s Day Heart Garland to hang in your home.
DIY Valentine’s Day Heart Garland
Today’s DIY Valentine’s Day Heart Garland is part of a monthly Pinterest challenge hosted by Cindy from County Road 407. Each month Cindy selects a picture from Pinterest and challenges our group to create our own version of the look.
Many thanks to Cindy for hosting this challenge.
If you arrived here from Our Southern Home, welcome! I am sure that you enjoyed seeing Christy’s garland and Valentine’s Day Beverage Bar. Christy and I are long time blogging friends and I adore her style.
You’ll find a list of all of the participating bloggers at the end of this post. I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone created their own version of this look.
Our Inspiration for this Challenge
This month we were challenged to create a garland inspired by this garland made by Jenny of Refreshed Living.
The first thing that caught my eye in Jenny’s inspiration photo was her lovely pie safe. I have two pie safes in our family room and I immediately knew that I would make a garland to hang on one of those.
I liked how Jenny’s garland would work for decorating for both Valentine’s Day and winter with its fluffy white pom-poms and yarn wrapped hearts.
Since Valentine’s Day is on the way, I decided to make my garland with only hearts and no pom-poms. I could have easily added pom-poms as I have many leftover from the Easy DIY Pom Pom Wreath that I recently shared.
My Valentine’s Day Heart Garland
My first two ideas for making the hearts for my garland were to make the hearts using cinnamon dough or salt dough. I’ve made Christmas ornaments in the past with both dough types. Instead, I used a mixture of baking soda and cornstarch to make the ornaments.
The hearts were made using one of my grandmother’s cookie cutters and the yarn that I used for the garland belonged to my friend Elsie’s mom.
After the hearts were baked and cooled, they were painted with pink craft paint and given a sprinkle of glitter that resembles sugar.
The pie safe was a Christmas gift from my parents in either 1994 or 1995. It was hidden on my parents’ screened porch and I believe that my mom had decorated it with pine garland that she made.
The radios still work, the small one on the left belonged to my father-in-law and the one on the right my grandparents. The phone also belonged to my grandparents.
I love how this corner of our family room looks decorated for Valentine’s Day. The pink velvet pillow covers are from Amazon ($12.99 for two!) and I made the gray covers. On the end table is a button heart that I made using vintage buttons and a cut glass bowl filled with cloth hearts that I made.
How to Make a Heart Garland
DIY Valentine's Day Heart Garland
Make a heart garland to decorate your home for Valentine's Day. This method can be used to make a garland for any holiday or theme.
Materials
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup water
- Heart cookie cutter
- Rolling pin
- Even Dough Rolling Bands
- Straw
- Roul'pat countertop mat
- Baking sheet
- Silpat baking sheet liner or parchment paper
- Cake Icing Spatula
- Pink craft paint
- Craft paint brush
- Mod Podge
- Glitter
- Yarn, baking twine, or twine
- Yarn needle
- 2 small 3M hooks
Instructions
- Combine baking soda, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk the mixture until it thickens (2 to 3 minutes) and remove from heat. The mixture will resemble mashed potatoes.
Place mixture in a bowl and cover with damp paper towels until it cools to a workable temperature. - Spread a thin layer of cornstarch on a Roul'pat or sheet of parchment paper. Attach 1/4" depth rolling guide rings to the rolling pin.
- Need the dough until it forms a smooth ball.
- Use the icing spatula or a knife to cut the dough in half. Set half aside and cover with a damp paper towel.
- Roll the dough to 1/4".
- Use the heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts. Reroll the scraps until all of the dough is used.
- Use the icing spatula to place hearts on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Use a straw to poke two holes in the top of each heart.
- Bake for 25 min. at 175 degrees. If hearts are curling, flip each heart over and bake 25 min. more. Depending on your oven, the hearts may be completely dry after 50 minutes. If not, bake until dry, checking frequently.
- Cool hearts on a baking rack.
Note that the recipe makes more hearts that you will need to make one garland. - Paint the edges of each heart and the holes with a small craft brush. Then use a larger brush to paint the rest of each heart.
Tip: Pour a small amount of craft paint into a bottle cap for easy post crafting clean up.
- After the paint dries, brush hearts individually with a thin coat of Mod Podge or glue and sprinkle with glitter.
- Cut a length of yarn longer than the length your garland will need to be when complete. Thread one heart to the middle of the yarn length and then add more hearts spacing them 3 1/2 inches apart.
Tip: A yarn needle makes it much easier to insert the thread into each hole. I did not have one to use and it would have been a lot easier to make this if I had used one. - Attach 3m hooks and hang your garland.
Place mixture in a bowl and cover with damp paper towels until it cools to a workable temperature.
Note that the recipe makes more hearts that you will need to make one garland.
Tip: Pour a small amount of craft paint into a bottle cap for easy post crafting clean up.
Tip: A yarn needle makes it much easier to insert the thread into each hole. I did not have one to use and it would have been a lot easier to make this if I had used one.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Boye Plastic Yarn Sewing Needle Set, 2pc -
Command Mini Hooks
-
DecoArt Crafter's Acrylic Paint, 2-Ounce, Cherry Blossom Pink
-
Martha Stewart Coarse Glitter, Crystal, 4.58 Ounces
-
Wilton Icing Spatula, 13-Inch, Angled Cake Spatula
-
Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet Size, 11-5/8 x 16-1/2
-
REGENCY EVENDOUGH BANDS ROLLING PIN RINGS
-
Silpat Roul'Pat Non-Stick Silicone Countertop Work Station with Non-Slip Grip, 16.5-Inch by 24.5-Inch
Many thanks to Jenny of Refreshed Living for this month’s garland inspiration photo and thanks to Cindy of County Road 407 for organizing this challenge.
I love the heart garland that I made and I’m sure that I will enjoy using it in years to come.
Next up is Julie of My Wee Abode who is sharing a Velvet Covered Valentine’s Day garland. Julie is a dear blogging friend who lives in a charming apartment. Her ideas for small home living are amazing!
More Garlands to Enjoy
Click on the links below to visit each blogger who is sharing their version of the inspiration picture. I’m looking forward to seeing them all!
Adorable. I thought about making salt dough this time. I love your pie safe. It’s perfect with the inspiration pic.
Thank you, Katie! My original plan was to make salt dough but then I found the baking soda and cornstarch combination and liked the look of the dough more than the grainy look that salt dough has.
Paula I love how you made those hearts. I pinned this tutorial to make some Easter bunnies. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I love your pie safe too. Very pretty.
Thank you, Terrie! I think a bunny garland would be adorable for Easter. I may have to do one as well!
This is so cute and would be a great project to do with kids! Happy Hearts!!!
This would be a great kid craft. If I was still teaching, it would also be a fun chemical reaction demonstration.
Your garland is adorable and makes me think of the good ol’ days back when I used to make stuff with the kids. I miss that. It looks great on your pie safe too. Actually your entire room looks amazing with all the pink. You know I love pink! Hope you enjoy your Valentine’s Day. Thank you for joining us as well. You are the best!
Thank you for hosting this challenge, Cindy! It motivates me to make things for my home and I love seeing what everyone shares each month.
I think these sparkly, soft pink hearts are perfect for your garland… but, I don’t think I could have resisted adding some of your white pom-poms. But, then again… the sparkle is so pretty all by itself! Pinned, sweet friend!
I have lots of leftover pom-poms, if I make an Easter version, I’ll have to include a few.
Paula
Love this garland and thanks for sharing the recipe. I’m going to have it try for something for spring and it summer.
I love the radios you have, you have great family pieces
Cindy
Lucky you that you have a a vintage pie safe to hang your pretty DIY Valentine bunting from, Paula! I love your little gray and white corner, too, especially the vintage radios and phone!
Paula, I am so impressed that you made the Valentines with such simple ingredients. What a cute idea to turn them into a garland. Love you pie safe. Such a special piece to have. The garland looks perfect on it. Great project my friend.
Paula, your heart garland is really beautiful and I love the instructions you’ve shared to make the dough. I didn’t have the energy to add a tutorial this time. 😉 Love your sweet garland draped across your pie safe!!! And I love how each of the garlands is so different ~ fun Pinterest Challenge!
Enjoy your week and happy hearty hugs,
Barb 🙂
Just gorgeous, Paula! I can’t believe you had a pie safe that looks so similar to the challenge photo. Amazing! I almost did a salt dough heart garland, too! Isn’t it so fun to create your own shapes? The ruffled edges and touch of glitter really make your hearts so dainty. I love how even in creating something new, you have some vintage elements. Pinning!
Love the garland and the old radios! How do you keep the hearts from slipping on the yarn? Did you tie a knot or was the yarn thick enough to hold them in place?
The hole isn’t very large and it holds the yarn in place without needing a knot.
Paula
So pretty, Paula! I would love a mini garland like yours to put on my little pine cone tree! I’ve decided to see how long it takes me to make 100 versions of my tree…. : ) My husband said I better increase my speed or it will take me 20 years!
Liberty from B4andAfters.com
I LOVE how these turned out, pink & sparkly…so pretty! Thank you for the tutorial, pinned for future projects!
Paula,
That pie safe is gorgeous and the addition of your heart garland is just darling. Loving those pink pillow covers!
I had never thought of making dough like this. Love the finished garland!
Thank you so much! This dough was really easy to work with.
Paula