Get The Technique
Martha loves over-the-top vlentines and always requests we develop a craft project with an enormous heart. A large white heart-shaped box, a giant heart card, and an oversize heart made from carnations are just some of the projects we have created. And for this year? A tabletop-size open heart box filled with all kinds of goodies.
Follow the visual how-to to create your own ginormous valentine.
1 Fold a large piece of paper in half, draw half a heart, and cut out. This heart is about 26 inches tall.
2 Make sure you like the shape of your heart when you unfold it. This is your template.
3 Trace template onto a piece of 1/2-inch foam board.
4 Carefully cut along the line with a box cutter.
5 Spray a large piece of red paper with spray adhesive.
6 Adhere the red paper to the foam board heart with a brayer, making sure it is smooth.
7 Flip the heart over, and trim the excess paper with a craft knife.
8 This is the base to your box.
9 For the sides, decide on how deep you want your box to be. I based mine on the thickest red ribbon we had, 2 3/4 inches. Cut strips of red mat board to that measurement.
10 With a hot-glue gun, adhere the mat board, red side facing in, to the edge of the heart. Draw a line of glue in small lengths onto the foam board edge and hold the mat board to it until it is completely stuck.
11 One side completed...
12 ...and repeat on the other side to complete the box.
13 With a red marker, color in the top white edge of the mat board.
14 Run a line of white glue along the inside seam of the heart, and adhere a red cording. I got red cording from M&J Trimming. http://www.mjtrim.com/Catalog/Product/331/42948/42948.aspx
15 Repeat the same process for gluing red cord to the top edge.
16 You might see some glue while it is drying but white glue dries clear!
17 Masterstroke makes the most beautiful wide satin ribbon.
18 To adhere the ribbon to the outside of the heart, I used a Martha Stewart Crafts adhesive roller to tack it down.
19 Once the ribbon is around the box, you are almost done. The last step is filling it!
Once you have the heart complete, what do you fill it with? Here are some ideas all nestled into ruffly coffee filters.
1 What goes inside a giant Valentine? An assortment of candy and some special treats in giant coffee filters!
2 Conversation hearts, of course.
3 Skin products by Mario Badescu (http://www.mariobadescu.com/).
4 Hanky Panky panties (http://www.hankypanky.com/Panties).
5 An amazing cookie by our favorite Sweet Dani B (http://www.sweetdanib.com/Home.html).
6 All the pink, red, and heart-shaped candies you can get your hands on! Try: Gimbal's (http://www.gimbalscandy.com/) and Jelly Belly (http://www.jellybelly.com/).
7 Maybe even a pair of diamond earrings, real or faux.
8 Ribbon candy from Hammond's (http://www.hammondscandies.com/) and chocolates from Li-Lac (http://www.li-lacchocolates.com/).
9 Chip, one of our set stylists, who developed this heart, made one for our craft room on set and filled it with yarn!
10 Lovely yarn, all from Lion Brand (http://www.lionbrandyarnstudio.com/)
From: Laura | 2/4/11 at 8:22 am
this is the coolest valentine ever!
From: Rowaida Flayhan | 2/4/11 at 8:54 am
Wow love this!
From: CherishedHearts Vintage | 2/4/11 at 11:22 am
LOVE THIS! The filling possibilities are endless.
From: Valentine’s Gift Inspiration « 365 Sunshines | 2/4/11 at 2:05 pm
[...] 1. A giant Valentine’s heart. [...]
From: Lauren O'Neill | 2/4/11 at 3:18 pm
Wow! Love the GIANT heart + all the fillings. I'd take one filled with Martha Stewart Crafts supplies!
From: diy-day.com | 2/4/11 at 4:48 pm
Those coffee filters, are they similar to paper you would use for muffins?
From: Nicole | 2/4/11 at 5:58 pm
I was going to make this for my sweetheart last year, but never got around to it. This year, my sister & I are going to make them together...I cant wait!
From: Linda B. | 2/4/11 at 11:54 pm
Kristin, thanks for the tutorial on how to make this Valentine. It is wonderful! I love the one filled with all that yarn...so soft, and lovely!
From: Jan | 2/5/11 at 5:04 am
That looks almost good enough to eat.
From: 14 Valentine’s: Day Five, Giant Heart Box | 2/5/11 at 9:10 am
[...] Full tutorial here. [...]
From: Project Valentine « 365 Sunshines | 2/6/11 at 2:52 pm
[...] Valentine is complete! I used this tutorial to make the heart, but used poster board for the sides and the thicker poster board for the top and [...]
From: We do *heart* yarn…. | Urban Fauna Studio | 2/6/11 at 7:41 pm
[...] loved this giant heart box filled to the brim with yarn! Tutorial for making this giant box on The Crafts Dept. ! Thanks Craftzine for pointing it out to [...]
From: You love us, you love us not | 2/7/11 at 9:51 am
[...] You’ll really love us when you realize that once again, we’ve saved your hide this Valentine’s Day and found fabulous gifts at outrageously good prices for your sweetheart once again this year. We [...]
From: Chae Hoban | 2/7/11 at 2:11 pm
I was inspired by this post to make a Valentine's Day display for the yarn store I work at, Paradise Fibers. It turned out gorgeous! Thank you so much for the wonderful project idea.
See it here:
http://birdheartsbear.blogspot.com/2011/02/paradise-fibers-valentine-display.html
From: Love is All Around: Valentine’s Day Craft Roundup | An Eclectic Blog | 2/9/11 at 6:40 pm
[...] Crafts Dept. at Martha Stewart has done it once again: come up with a “Ginormous Valentine” that we want to make ourselves. For an over-the-top way to say I love you, this giant candy holder [...]
From: sweetsugarbelle | 2/9/11 at 10:27 pm
This is so so so so so so cool. In love.
From: MyerFargo | 2/10/11 at 6:09 pm
Thanks for the great idea going to make a huge one for my staff to share
From: helen | 2/14/11 at 5:14 pm
i want the recipe for bbq ribs made on 2/4/11 show Please.helen