Textile Collage Art.....hearts....

I saw Karen Valentines Textile Art Heart Necklaces on her beautiful blog **My Desert Cottage**

back in March this year. I immediately bought her tutorial, and then got busy with dance costumes for The Divas school dance troupe, and forgot all about making pretty hearts.

Well, with Christmas always on my mind, I knew I wanted to get started on these, so off I went.

I confess I didn't follow Karens instructions exactly (sorry Karen!).

I sort of got all over the shop with the order in which things had to be done, and ended up using the front of the heart as a sort of 3D canvas, adding layers until I was happy, then hand stitching the back of the heart to the front, encasing the stuffing as I went.

I think Karen would forgive me.

 As you can see, mine is very different to Karens' interpretation, but isn't that the beauty of these sorts of projects? You truly can inject a little of yourself into them, and use what you have.

This animal print silk is a tiny scrap leftover from some tribal bustles I've made for The Dancing Daughters current school troupe performance coming up in just two weeks. I know right...who even knew there was such a thing as a tribal bustle. But Google it. You'll be amazed!

I also had some muslin, which I use for making hand dyed facecloths in pretty gelati colours, some header tape leftover also from costumes, and of course thrifted vintage lace and bows, and sequins and tassels galore.

I stayed true to Karen's 'Be Fabulous' theme though, because it's one I love.

I envisage these as necklaces, brooches, pomanders with lavender stitched into them, doorknob hangers, keyrings, bagtags, and of course, Christmas ornaments.

I'm itching to get started on more now!

The link to Karens tutorial can be found by clicking on this link...

Here

I predict these darling little pretties will save me hundreds on gifts this year.

What do you think?

...Mimi...