Hand stitched Valentine hearts: 2014 edition

I typically start working on Valentine stuff right after I get all my Christmas stuff put out in my mall booths.   This last year was no different.  I started stitching the day after Thanksgiving when we went to the coast for the weekend with my son and his girlfriend.  Doing hand stitching is just very relaxing for me.  I’m never entirely sure WHAT I am going to stitch until I actually start stitching.  I usually start with some simple, basic heart shapes . . . then I get inspired to try something new.

The first year I did these, I stayed with traditional RED.

 Then last year I did a lot of tea stained hearts with buttons.

 Started off the ones for this year with some creams and tans; then decided to add pink and then turquoise.

All the hearts are individually hand cut, no pattern; and each design is original and unique.

I use ‘pinch needle yarn’ to stitch them together.  I just like the look I get with it as opposed to using regular thread.  sometimes I MATCH the yarn to the heart; sometimes I use a contrasting color.

I did a lot of ‘seed stitches’ on many of them this time too.  It takes a LONG time to add all those decorative stitches, so I only added them ‘here and there’.   I just like the ‘polka dot’ look!

After I got all of those done, I dug out some lace and ribbon and made this one with a key added to it.

That batch of hearts is available to purchase in my booth at Curiosities.

After I did that batch I found a bunch of lace that I had tea stained a summer or two ago.  (easier to stain in the summer when you can let it dry out in the sun!)

And I made this bunch!

I started out with stitching the lace to the felt backing; but soon realized that it would take an entire DAY just to apply the lace to a single heart!

Grabbed my trusty bottle of Aleen’s tack glue and started gluing the lace to the felt backing.

I had to let the glue dry overnight before embellishing and stitching on the backing and stuffing.

Added some snippets of burlap here and there, scrapbook embellishments (little metal tags) and buttons.

By the time I got it down to a routine, it took me about 30 minutes to apply the patchwork of lace to each heart.

This entire batch has gone to my booth at Stars.

I hate it when I do that!!!

As I was taking down all the Christmas stuff in the store last week, I hesitated to pack away the white hearts from the all white tree I had.   Thinking I could carry them over to Valentines day. 

BRAINSTORM!

I’ll put the white hearts (metal tin ceiling tile, felt ones with buttons and wood ones) on my white twig tree!  And I had to do it RIGHT THAT MINUTE!  So I took a break from packing stuff away (and I really should have stayed on task!) and decorated the white twig tree.

And mixed in the white tim angels and put the big angel on the top.  I really like how it turned out.

And theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnn. . . . I went to pack away my little 4′ red metallic tree and thought maybe I should have put the white hearts on it!?!?!?  Ack! 

I really should have continued on with my packing, but noooooooooooooooooooo. I HAD to stop, take apart the white tree and put the white stuff on the red metallic tree! 

I added a white pip berry garland and some white berry picks and some cute little red/white picture frame ornaments.  And NOW, I think I liked it better on the white tree.  And I don’t know what to put on the white tree.  It’s really fine ‘just plain’, but more FUN decorated. 

I’m FORCING myself to not change the tree again until I get the entire rest of the store in order (which will probably take me the better part of next week!)  Just in case I get yet another idea.  Or decide I like the red one just fine once the rest of the Valentine display is set up.

Which do you like better?  The hearts on the white twig tree or on the red tree???????

HAPPY NEW YEAR!