This craft shows you how to make a keepsake posy of herbs and flowers for someone special on Valentine’s Day. You can make the heart pocket from red felt trimmed with a string of pearls and a red satin bow, then fill with lavender, thyme and yarrow -or other sweet smelling dried herbs.
What you will need:
Paper to make a pattern
2 rectangles of red felt, each 3 by 4 inches
String of faux pearls
Stickers, if desired
Small red satin bow or satin ribbon to tie in a bow
Three rosebuds – dried or silk
Small sprigs of dried herbs (suggested herbs include lavender and yarrow flowers, slips of thyme and a few perennial gypsophylia (baby’s breath) flowers).
Tacky glue
Scissors
Optional: pin back, fridge magnet, or cord for hanging.
Instructions for the project:
To make the felt hearts cut a piece of paper to the same size as the pieces of felt. Fold the felt half along the longest side then cut out the largest heart shape possible. Carefully pin the paper pattern to the first piece of felt and cut out around it. Repeat the process with the second felt piece. Place the two felt hearts together in a test fit and trim as needed to make both hearts match exactly. Carefully apply a thin line of tacky glue around the edge of one heart, beginning and ending just under the “shoulders” of the heart and leaving the top open. Firmly press the two hearts together, then immediately reopen and apply another line of glue over the first one. Felt tends to absorb glue but this extra step should make a good bond. Run a thin line of tacky glue around the outside edge of the front heart. Press down the string of pearls firmly into the glue. It may look messy at first, but the white glue will be partially absorbed by the felt and should dry clear. You can the glue a small red or white satin bow just below the “V” of the heart and add a few Valentine stickers. To add the herbs and flowers begin by separating each of them into separate piles on your work surface. If you are using silk rosebuds, trim the wire stems to two inches. You will want to leave the lavender stems a little longer. Be sure to use a flower that has a good support structure when building your nosegay. Yarrow or Baby’s Breath both work well. You can add a little glue to the bottom part of the herbs or flowers before inserting to insure that none of the materials move or fall out. Begin by packing the heart pocket fairly snugly with three or four pieces of your supporting foliage and then begin packing in the rest of the flowers and herbs in a design that you like. Add the roses to the arrangement last. You can add essential oils for a stronger fragrance. Attach a string of pearls on the top if you wish to hang the posy.