Heart In Hand Valentine
"Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure."
Paolo Coelho, The Alchemist
grab the video class here:
grab the complete HEART IN HAND FOLK ART project PDF + Printable pack here:
If you have been following along since the beginning of this blog you might remember that I am a big city girl (born in NYC and raised in LA) who dreams of the country. I want a white farmhouse with a big old barn that I will convert into a giant art space. There will be tons of natural light and plenty of room to paint, print, build, throw (pottery), and shoot (photos). I will have a pasture with horses, chickens, a couple of goats, two dogs, three barn cats, and a cow. I have envisioned this place since I was a little girl. The picture is so clear to me that it doesn't feel like an "if" only a "when". Do you want to take a peek?
Last February I landed an interior design job that took me pretty darn close to living my dream. I got to spend a week in a small farm town 45 minutes NW of Portland, OR decorating and designing the interior of a farmhouse. I found a piece of my heart in that magical emerald green town and collected many a treasure. I didn't end up using any antique heart in hand paper cuts in my design but I pinned a bunch of them to use at a later date.
Antique Heart In Hand Love Token Circa 1840
"Heart In Hand" is a traditional folk art motif, associated with the Shakers, the Amish, and the Pennsylvania Dutch. The imagery is said to represent friendship, love, and truth. The process is known as Scherenschnitte which means “paper cut” in German. The art form was developed in Germany and Switzerland in the 16th century and brought to America in the 18th century, primarily by settlers in Pennsylvania. Aren't they beautiful? I am going to show you how to make this lovely traditional folk art piece with an ART CAMP twist.
Materials:
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1. Gather your paper palette. 2. Sketch out your hand shape (think glove) on a piece of card stock. 3. Cut out your hand. 4. Create a template so you can repeat the pattern on your assorted colored paper, cutting out as you go. 6. There are a couple ways to approach the design. If you want to go traditional you will create slits in your hand so that you can weave paper through your heart and at the wrist. 7. If you want to go more modern, you can just cut out shapes and collage. There is no wrong or right way. Play with layout and color before you commit with glue. 8. Think about adding a love note or a monogram. 9. You can make these note card style or a folded greeting card (see pictures below).
Make a hand template or print this one out.
Traditional heart in hand weave made by cutting ^ slits in the palm and v slits in the heart and then weaving the two together.
If you want to make your valentine into a folded greeting card you will fold your piece of paper in half and trace your hand shape. When you cut your hands out you will leave two connecting joints--1 at the wrist and 1 at the thumb.
Collage style heart in hand that includes a little hand cut text.
A group of hands made by elementary K-5 students:
