Tools and Materials

• Wood plaque
• Acrylic paint for plaque in desired color
• Paintbrush
• Heart and arrowhead template
• Tape
• Awl
• Brass brads
• Flat head pliers
• Tack hammer
• 1/4-inch gold ribbon
• Banner template
• Chipboard, cardboard, or heavy cardstock
• Craft knife
• Liquid gilding
• White glue
• White cardstock
• Glue bottle with fine-tip applicator
• Glitter

String-Art Heart How-To

1. Paint a wood plaque in desired color; let dry. Print heart template and tape to plaque in desired position.
2. Press the tip of an awl into each mark on the heart shape to make pilot holes in wood. Remove template.
3. Hold brass brads in place with flat head pliers while tapping into each pilot hole with a hammer. 
4. Glue ribbon to itself around the starting brad to stabilize. Weave up and down through brads, staying to the right as you wrap the ribbon around each brad.
5. To make the arrow, adhere arrowhead template to board or thick cardstock, and cut out. Paint the arrowhead and a bamboo skewer with liquid gilding. Attach the arrowhead to the skewer with glue. 
6. Wrap bits of ribbon around the end of the skewer, gluing in place, to make feathers. Slide the arrow through the strung heart.
7. Print either or both banners and use a glue applicator to trace and glitter the letters; let dry. Glue banner(s) to plaque beneath the heart.

Resources

Wood plaques in a variety of shapes from Walnut Hollow; paint, paintbrushes, liquid gilding, craft knife, glitter, and glue from Martha Stewart Crafts; tools and hardware from The Home Depot.