Have a Heart! Printable Valentine's Project...

Happy month of LOVE! As a special gift of thanks, we want to share our Hearts with You! Below, you will enjoy a sweet DIY project, including a FREE Printable page of hearts that I have designed. Simply click on the link provided below, print the page and let your creativity flow! For a little inspiration, I am also sharing my step-by-step project with you. It's only one of gazillion paths to take, and we look forward to seeing what you do! Please share your finished Heart creations with us by sending us an EMAIL with images of your crafts. You are welcome to share this link and spread the love....

xoxo,
~ Johanna, JP & Jack

Love-Wire-on-Hand

* The inspiration behind this project started with a long piece of 20 gauge wire and the lovely word "Love." I attempted a few by slowly bending the wire and forming the letters, and then I settled on a size and script style that I liked best...

Share-Heart-Template

* My wire "Love" letters needed a backer plate, so I created a simple heart design on the computer. I included 2 additional hearts at a reduced size and added them all to a standard letter-sized piece of paper.
This FREE Printable can be found at our link:  http://www.johannaparkerdesign.com/Share/Johanna's-Valentine-Heart.pdf

Share-Heart-Print-&-Cut

* I printed the PDF on cream colored card stock and starting cutting along the outer dashed line...

Share-Heart-cutouts

* To add more substance and layers to the heart, I found a scrap of vintage teal wool that I had previously stiffened with glue. Using my existing heart as a template, I drew a slightly larger heart on the wool, and cut out that shape...

Share-Heart-backside-glue

* For an extra touch of texture and whimsy, I glued a strand of fringed red string along the outer edge of the backside of the paper heart.

Share-Heart-backside-assemblage

* Once the glue dried, it was time to position my wire lettering on the front side. Using a pencil, I marked two dots to indicate the exit holes for the wire to pass through on each end of the word "Love." A quick prick with an awl, allowed the wire to pass through to the backside, where I trimmed and looped the wire to secure it in place (as seen above).

Share-Heart-on-the-door

* After a little hot glue, the paper heart fused with it's woolen backer! Another piece of wire, woven  through the wool,  became an easy hanger. And, I was off to decorate with my new creation! I hung it on a kitchen cabinet door....

Share-Heart-on-the-shelf

* I hung it on an antique shelf...

Share-Heart-over-the-shelf

* I hung it on the wall..... and on and on and on....

Simple ideas such as this sweet heart, used in combination with scraps of fabric, wire, string, glue, glitter and other found objects in the home can really add a personal touch and create an endearing gift for a loved one. I hope you find inspiration, print our page of Hearts, put on your crafting hat and get creative... And, Please do share your creations via EMAIL or by posting your projects on our Facebook Page!

Hugs & Happy Valentine's Day!


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Holiday How-To for You...

The quick transition from Halloween to Christmas always catches me by surprise! Once November 1st hits, I have to kick it into high gear and switch from grinning jack-o'-lanterns to whimsical snowmen. With a holiday show in less than 2 weeks, I am certainly feeling the heat, or maybe I should call it the chill! And now that I have changed my seasonal focus, I find it most appropriate to share a couple of fun holiday How-To projects with you! The 2010 issue of Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Crafts Magazine features a pair of my snow-folk ornaments along with my instructions to create them! Included is a fun clown-like lollipop of mine and a ring-a-ling-ding snow-girl, both designed to hang from your holiday tree. I suggest you find a copy today as it's full of wonderful projects from both myself and many of my fellow crafty friends! Happy creating!

CHEERS,
~ Johanna

BHG-Holiday-Crafts-2010
* Look for this festive cover at the store!....

Lollipop-clown-by-Johanna
* This easy, fun lollipop project makes a sweet & memorable gift....

Snowbelle-by-Johanna
* This little cutie also jingles when you give her a shake...

Project Concepts © Johanna Parker Design ~ Photos © Meredith Corporation

Halloween Archives...

It's funny the things you'll find when surfing on the web... I did a little search under "Halloween folk art" and found myself on Better Homes & Gardens website! They featured me back in their 2007 issue of Halloween Tricks & Treats Magazine, and now they have a series of 16 images and pages on their website that cover my story. Several of the photos are completely new to me, so it was interesting to finally see those. Included is a quick How-To that I shared with their readers at the time of publication. You can view the entire thing by visiting this link: Folk Art Halloween. Enjoy this 'lil flashback to the year 2007!

(Here are just a few of the images you'll see on their website.....)

BHG-Johanna-Paints!
* There's me at a mock workstation.... They wanted to capture that yummy purple wall!

BHG-Halloween-decor!
* A table top display I put together for the shoot... The witch bust and hanging spider are my originals from my private collection.

BHG-Papier-mache!
* My hands (again)..... I'm wondering whatever happened to that amber ring?...

BHG-Painted-Cat!
* The papier mache cat candy container I made for the article's How-to feature. Details on their website.....

© 2007 Meredith Corporation
Photography by Emily Minton

Want to know HOW?...

I just returned from a quick visit to see my family in Washington. The night before our return home, my mom and I dashed into Barnes & Noble 5 minutes before closing to snag a copy of this year's Holiday Crafts Magazine by Better Homes and Gardens! I read rumors that it was out, and I knew a couple of my How-To projects would be featured. So, I was anxious to see it! Fortunately, this will be the third year that they have published my art within this fun annual issue, and I am very grateful for that. I recommend going out and getting yourself a copy as it's full of wonderful projects, ideas and the instructions to make each creation unfold for you! For now, here is a peek... ENJOY!

~ Johanna

BHG-Black-Cat-Candle-Holders
* A fun, full page image of my black cat candle holders for Halloween!...

BHG-Holiday-Crafts-Magazine
* Visual aids to help you along as you construct your very own candle holder...

BHG-Cats-Lollipop-Full
* Too good to eat! A snowman lollipop ornament hangs from a tree...

BHG-Lollipop-How-to
* For best results, find yourself a copy of this festive magazine and get started!

Designed by Johanna Parker... © 2009 Meredith Corporation