Home Sweet Home ~ By Jayne Loughlin

 I picked a little wooden blank heart plaque at my local craft store ready to alter.

Things needed:Fiskars L scalloped circle Squeeze punch, Boundry water punch, Shape cutter (optional), Heart Template (optional), Scissors, Embossing stylus,Embossing mat or old mouse mat, glue, patterned papers, cardstock, 2 buttons, ribon, inks, File, alpha stickers or diecuts, Wire optional,

Instructions: I have covered the heart with one of my favourite papers, it is a little bit old but I love it.  Next I took another piece of the paper using the back as it was white (you could use white cardstock) and Punched one edge using Boundry water Border punch . You have to then cut a strip with the punched edge a little wider than you want the final size to be as the Border punch will trim a little off. Punch the other edge and you have a great decorative strip ….*** This works with ALL Fiskars border punches with totally fabby but different results !

Ink the edges , I have used green & blue inks. Glue the strip on a slant over the Heart .

The flower is made by punching a Scalloped circle out of patterned paper (see flower 1 on photo below). Snip all the petals using the scalloped edge as a guide (see flower 2).

Place onto a spongey surface (an old back of a mouse mat wil do) Use your Embossing stylus on the larger side and rub down from the top of each petal towards the centre. The petals should start to curl up. I’ve marked where you should be putting the stylus on 2 of the petals on flower 3 below using a dotted line.

Glue the Flower you have made onto the plaque, Use some Alphabet Dies or stickers for a title . I’ve inked the edges of the plaque using blue & green ink again , Tied a bow and piece of ribbon to the spiral wire to hang the plaque. A couple of buttons on the centre of the flower and its finished.

***You could just do this on piece of plain chipboard cutting out a heart shape. The Heart Template is a great way to have a neat heart shape use it by drawing round the shape you wanted with a pencil. ***Or another way- cut your patterned paper using Heart Template and the Fiskars Shape Cutter. Glue the pattern paper heart onto Chipboard, Use scissors to carefully trim around the shape. Spiral craft wire around a pencil to make the hanger and stick with tape to the back. Go on make a plaque and show us what you come up with xx