Stained-Glass Hearts

Happy VD, everybody!

I was looking for an idea of a craft to do at Finn's class Valentine party.  I found the stained-glass heart idea.  I do love it so.  So far I've been making these all day.  They are just fun, and easy, and so so cute.  I love sun-catchers and am always looking for ones I like.  Although I usually never buy them.  But now, I have all of these!  And we can make new ones for each holiday (shamrocks, Easter eggs, flags, Christmas trees, etc) or just whenever. 

So, I don't do tutorials.  I'm not one of those moms who is so crafty and clever.  But I love these so much, and my kids had so much fun with them, and they are so easy, I am going to tell you how to make them. 

(I started this blog post a while ago, then thought, hmmm, tutorials are always better with pictures.  I should go make just one more and take pictures of each step while I do it.  Then I sat on the computer for 3 hours designing the Valentine's the kids will hand out to classmates.  So I'm not gonna.  I'm just going to tell you.  And you'll figure it out, because this isn't rocket science people...)

 

So, your list of materials is as follows: 

• a roll of contact paper (about $6 - found in the home-wares section of Target, etc.)
• construction paper (which I had)
• tissue paper in fun colors (which I also had - I did buy 2 more packs at the dollar store so I would have enough for the class party.  There is way more than enough)
• Raffia, string, ribbon yarn, whatever you want to use to hang them (had it)
• Hole punch (had it)

First, cut out your heart from the construction paper.  (fold in half, cut.  Then cut around again to make outline - again... not rocket science)

Whatever size you want.  We did big ones for home, and 2 per sheet for the class party (thank you, Aunt Laci for the cutting help!)   So lay your heart on the contact paper and cut contact paper to fit it - I gave myself about an inch or more around the edges but it doesn't really matter...  Just do a square around it, we'll be cutting it to shape, later.  Peel off the backing and lay it sticky side up.  Center heart and place on sticky paper.  Then you start to fill in the middle with tissue paper.  (the only thing is to remember the side facing DOWN will be the front.  The side facing YOU will be the back - that way the paper heart covers any edges of tissue paper that stick out).

The biggest pain of this was cutting the tissue paper into little squares.  But it probably wouldn't be that much of a pain if you weren't trying to do enough paper for 30 second graders.  That's a lot of tissue paper.

Ok, so, after you've filled up the center however you like, then cut a second piece of contact paper, remove backing, and lay it carefully - sticky side down.  Press the whole thing together.  Then cut around the heart, punch a hole and hang that puppy!  So easy, and so, so lovely. (PS do you like my toile tissue paper?  Yes I'm a fan of toile.  I've held onto this single piece of tissue paper for about 5 years until it finally found it's purpose in life today!)

 I must warn you however, that these hearts are so easy and cute you may just make 50 of them before you know what even happened.

Which is what I obviously did, then to break the habit I went to the computer to design this:

which will be attached to 50 of these:

Mini-Recorders.  Get it? I can't wait to PLAY with you...?

Yep.
 *********************************