WINTER LOVE PART 2: HEART GARLAND

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Part 2 of the Winter Love series is the Heart Garland! What I love about these hearts is that are very versatile and can be used for many purposes. With just a few tweaks you can make ornaments, garlands, window dressings, table decorations and more! The hearts are simple to make and use ordinary crafting supplies that you may already have in your stash. With that being said, I put some tips at the bottom to help you out so you don't waste time with some issues I ran into!

TOOLS

Light or Mid Weight Paper

Stapler

Double-sided Adhesive

Ribbon or Twine

Scissor

Paper Cutter

Small Hole Punch

Super Glue- Optional

DIRECTIONS

Cut paper into 2 inch strips by 10.5, 9.5, 8.5, 7.5 , and 4 inches long. You will need two of all sizes except the 4 inch strip
Place scraps to the side (you will use them later).
Grab one 4 inch strip to start as the center piece. This strip will get hidden as the layers get added, but will be revealed again as the heart is formed.
Place a 10.5 inch strip on either side of the 4 inch strip lining up one end of the papers together in a stack.
Continue this with each size ending with the 7.5. You should now be able to see all the sizes with the exception the 4 inch strip hidden in the middle.
Staple the layers together making sure to line your staples in a straight horizontal line stretching the 2 inch width. If the staples are not in a line, the heart will not lay flat (but it will still look cute!)
Take the 7.5 inch strips and pull around matching the unstapled ends together forming the shape of a heart. Continue this process until all layers match up forming the bottom tip of the heart with the exception of the last two 10.5 inch strips.
Staple all of the layers that are matched at the point together again making sure staples are in straight line. (Sometimes following directions can make your life easier!)
Add adhesive to the last two strips so that when you wrap them around to the tip of the heart, the adhesive will cover the staples holding the other layers together.
The 4 inch strip is the only one sticking out of the top of the heart now.
Punch a whole through the 4 inch strip for the ribbon or twine.
Repeat the steps and make as many hearts as you want then run the ribbon or twine through them all to make a garland!

TIPS

You can cut more strips in smaller lengths adding more layers to each heart.
Alternate colored paper for a rainbow effect.
Use the scraps to make a 2 inch by 1.5 in strip to cover the staples in the inside point of the heart.
Choose paper that is colored on both sides so that center of heart isn't white unless of course you want that look. Most decorative paper is white on the back so just a heads up!
To keep the hearts in place on the garland, tie a small knot as you add each heart to the garland.
Use super glue instead of a stapler to add a little strength to tension spots if the paper keeps pulling apart.

The basics of the supplies that you need to get started. In addition to this you can use super glue, ribbon or twine to make each one special. I had already cut the paper with my cutter!

Here I am showing the stack of paper ready to be folded into the shape of a heart. I had already applied a scrap of paper to over the stapled on the right ends as well.