Design by Claire: 3D Paper Heart Tutorial

I really enjoy taking old discarded items and finding a new use for them. For this project I must admit I do feel quite bad cutting up a book, as when I was at school we were always taught that books are sacred and must not be defaced in any way! Oops!

I found this book tucked away on a dusty shelf at our local Hospice charity shop - so I console myself with the idea that I did do a good deed by supporting them (that counts right?)

What you will need:
- An old book (make sure no one was planning on reading it one day!)
- A4 size piece of Cardboard (a cereal box works well)
- Carbon Paper
- Heart Template (download here)
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Hot Glue Gun
- Ribbon/String
- 2 Pegs (possibly 3)

The first thing you will need to do is print out your heart template that you downloaded. Check to see that your biggest heart shape fits across the text of your old book. As you can see in the image below, mine only just fit! If yours doesn't fit then you may need to reduce your heart template. You can do this when you print it out by scaling your print down a little in the print settings.

Next you will need to trace all the heart shapes onto your piece of cardboard using the carbon paper. Carefully cut all of these out. Taking a bit more time here and being as precise as possible will help make a neater finished heart.

Once you've cut out all your cardboard hearts you're now ready to start tracing them onto your old book pages. Line the cardboard heart template up as best as you can over the text of the book. I usually make sure the top two curves of the heart line up on the same line of writing.

There are two ways to make this heart: If you are going to hang it against a wall you only need to make one side of the heart. If you are going to hang it somewhere that you will see the back of it, then you will need to make both sides of the heart.

You will need to trace and cut out 15 hearts in each size for each side of the heart (so if you're making a double sided heart you will need to cut out 30 hearts in each size). Again, try and cut the hearts out as neatly as possible. Also try and have one heart (two for a double sided one) in each size where the writing covers the shape completely. In other words there are no gaps where there are no words. This isn't always possible, but it helps to try.

Next you will need to stick the hearts together using your glue stick. Line them up as carefully as possible and stick 15 of each sized heart together, with the one with the most text (least gaps) on the top.

***Side note***
Make sure the hearts that are on the top don't have any dodgy words that you don't want visible! You can laugh, but this can happen and once you've spotted it on your finished product you will forever more notice only that!

You will now have ten thick heart shapes (five if you are doing only one side). Starting with the smallest heart, glue it to the next biggest one - making sure it's as centred as possible. Then stick those two to the next biggest heart and so on until they are all five stuck together. Repeat for the other side if you are making a double sided one.

Next measure a length of ribbon or string and stick it to the back of the large heart shape using the hot glue gun. If you are only making a one-sided heart then voilà you are done!

If you are making a double sided heart then you need to stick the two halves together. I use the hot glue gun for this as it sets quicker. Use the pegs to hold the top parts of the heart together while the glue dries. You may need a third peg for the bottom of the heart, but the top is where it bulges a little more because of the ribbon being in the middle.

Once the glue is dry, remove the pegs and TaaaaDaaaa....you're all done! One times pretty three dimensional paper heart to hang wherever you would like!