Kitchen Sink Project of the Month - Heartstrings

Today I want to share a fun project which I used to do with my elementary students every year to decorate the class room for Valentine's Day. We would take pretty cords and attach hearts back to back all along the string adding ribbons and beads between the hearts as we went. These were then hung from the ceiling  in anticipation of Valentine's Day.

Well, I think this same concept will work well to create cards or greetings which can be hung from ceilings or in window or door frames to brighten someone's day. Wouldn't one look cheerful over a hospital bed or a new baby's crib! The possibilities are endless!

I'm hanging my Cup of Warm Comfort Heartstring in the narrow space between my calendar and my bulletin board! Now I'm all decorated for Valentine's Day just like the old days in my elementary classroom!

I made the heartstring to the left for my Mother's upcoming birthday. She has an open window frame in her kitchen which will allow the heartstring to spin freely. The back of  "For my Mother" says "with Love". I think she will like it!

       

For the Valentine heartstring, I put sweet chocolate goodies on the front side and  messages of love on the back!

As you can see, these were made by attaching various size and shape cut outs which I created using my Nestabilities. I started with a pretty cord (I used a silk necklace cord for the birthday heartstring and silver cord for the Valentine heartstring) and tied an overhand knot at the top to create the loop for hanging. Then I just worked my way down the string adding paper pieces to the front and back using Scor-Tape. I added beads between the pieces and attached the bows last after all the pieces were in place.

When securing the front and backs together, I used plenty of Scor-Tape and made certain that it held the string tightly in place to support the weight of the beads and paper pieces.

I hope you can think of someone special who would enjoy a heartstring hanging near them to brighten their day!! Now go make them one!

Recipe for Birthday Heartstring:
Stamps: Hydrangea Multi Step Clear Stamps, Whole Family Clear Stamps, Simple Sentiments Clear Stamps, and Words of Love Clear Stamps by Kitchen Sink Stamps
Papers: Whisper White, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, and Certainly Celery by Stampin' Up
Inks and Layers:  Pansy - Layer 4 - Memento Grape Jelly, Layer 3 -Memento Sweet Plum, Layer 2 - Memento Sweet Plum stamped off once, Layer 1 - Lulu Lavender   Leaves - Layer 1 - SU Certainly Celery
Layer 2 - SU Old Olive stamped off once, Layer 3 - SU Old Olive
Tools: Nestabilities, Scor-Tape, and Oval Punches
Embellishments: Silk Cording, Beads, Ribbon, Rhinestones, Tulle

Recipe for Valentine Heartstring:
Stamps:  Cup of Warm Comfort Multi Step Clear Stamps, Pansy Multi Step Clear Stamps,  and Words of Love Clear Stamps 
Papers: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, and Riding Hood Red by Stampin' Up, Lots o' Love by Little Yellow Bicycle
Inks and Layers: Hot Chocolate Mug - Layer 4- Memento Dark Cocoa, Layer 3 - SU Close to Cocoa, Layer 2 - SU Creamy Caramel, Layer 1 - SU Creamy Caramel stamped off once. Versamark was added to the foam on Layer 4 and embossed with seafoam embossing powder. Versamark reinker was painted on the mug with a paintbrush and embossed with clear embossing powder. Cookies: Layer 4 - Memento Dark Cocoa, Layer 3 - SU Close to Cocoa, Layer 2 - SU Creamy Caramel, Layer 1, SU So Saffron. Pansy - Layer 4 - Memento Rhubarb Stalk, Layer 3 - SU Melon Mambo, Layer 2 - SU Melon Mambo stamped off once, Layer 1 - SU Pretty in Pink.   Leaves - Layer 1 - SU Old Olive stamped off once, Layer 2 - SU Old Olive
Tools: Nestabilities, Scor-Tape
Embellishments: Silver Cord, Ribbon, Rhinestones, Beads

Click here>>>LYNN10KSS to go directly to the Kitchen Sink Store. Add the LYNN10KSS code at checkout and receive 10% off your entire KSS order.

Each member of the Kitchen Sink Crew has something special to share with you today!! Be sure you check it out!!

Angela * Maria * Connie * Lisa * Julie * Makiko