Hi friends!

It's time for our monthly Design Team Dare at Your Next Stamp, and our challenge this month was to use

RED!

I've had an idea for this Valentine's Day decoration brewing in my head for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity to get it made! I even put together a little how-to so you can see how easy it is!!

  

     

I started by cutting burlap panels with the largest die in the Banner Die Set.

   

  

To keep the burlap from fraying over time, I covered the edges with Fray Check...

   

    

The next step is to create a stencil for the heart shape. I used a mailing label, and cut the largest heart from the Stripe-tastic Heart Dies out of the middle.

   

  

I only needed the negative from the die-cut, so I gave the heart shapes to the kiddos to create their own stickers with! :)

Then I centered the "stencil" onto the burlap shape. I like using the label paper for this so that it sticks right to the burlap, and I don't have to hold it still while I paint.

   

  

Next step... PAINTING!!

   

    

     I love to paint!

I used a basic all-purpose craft paint and a cheap sponge for this project... I placed a paper plate underneath the burlap to catch any paint that would seep through the openings in the weave. Carefully remove the stencil (although, I didn't even bother to wait for the paint to dry!), and you have a perfect heart!

   

   

I repeated the process using large letter stickers I purchased from the craft store. I cut them apart, and again used just the negatives...

    

  

After my painted panels dried, I pinned them to a burlap string using these adorable itty bitty clothes pins!

    

   

... and then hung my simple but LOVEly new decoration across the mantle. :)

   

   

I hope you enjoyed my quick tutorial!

Be sure to stop by the YNS Blog to see all the RED prejects from the Design Team, and leave a comment while you're there... one lucky fan will recieve a YNS Stamp Set of their choice!!

  

Thanks so much for stopping by!