DIY Friday: Upcycle Valentine's Day Art

I was breaking down our recycling the other day and remembered this pin I came across that was a heart made out of an egg carton. I thought it was really cool, but there wasn't a tutorial for it. So I decided to make one up with my own little twist.

Materials: 

• craft paint ( any color will work, you don't have to make it Valentines-y)
• paint brushes
• a cereal box
• an egg carton
• scissors
• glue or hot glue
• Scrap fabric
• an exacto knife
• Ribbon 
• A piece of foam core

First break apart the egg carton, being careful not to rip it up too much.

Then trim down the edges. I used the little bump as a guide and cut right above it.

Now it's time to paint! I chose to go with pink, but you could use any color you want or even multiple colors! ( Notice I am using a plastic fruit cup to hold my paint, thanks to an awesome tip from my fellow blogger and crafter Mom Upcycles.)

Once the pieces are dry, glue them all together, joining 3 squares of 4, then make a heart shape. I put the hot glue along the bottom edge and joined them that way.

Next, cut down one side of the cereal box. I didn't want my heart to look itty bitty, so I cut my cardboard to 7.5in x 9in

Then lay it down on a scrap piece of fabric, unprinted side facing down. And glue all the edges of the fabric down, pulling tight so it's nice and flat on the front.

(*side note: don't use a sheer fabric like I did, this part was such a pain because the fabric kept shifting.)

Would you look at all that shifyness going on in the last picture? :^6

Then glue the heart to the center of the front.

Now this part is optional:

I cut a piece of foam core, the same size as my cereal box to add some thickness and weight to my artwork.

Then I glued my ribbon to the foam core and then glued the fabric covered cardboard on top of that, sandwiching the ribbon. 

If you don't have foam core, you could use another piece of the cereal box to add some thickness or just leave it and glue the ribbon to the back of the main piece. 

And you're done! This project cost me nothing, since I had everything on hand.

You could embellish your artwork by adding buttons or pieces of felt, painting words or whatever! Endless options!! I decided to just leave mine plain :)