Sailor's Valentine Project

Sailor's Valentine Project

Materials
-Unfinished Wood Plaque, in heart, oval, or square shaped (Craft Stores)
-Fabric and Velvet scraps
-Bag of tiny shells
-Bag of medium/large sized shells
-Broken china pieces
-Buttons: Pearly and rustic colors
-Vintage ephemera, Images, cards
-paper doilies
-Hot glue, glue sticks
-E-6000 glue or clear caulk or vinyl spackle
-Other: ribbons, charms, millinery flowers, broken jewelry

Directions
1. Lay scrap fabric or velvet onto the plaque, measure to fit, hot glue to front of plaque and to the back of plaque.
2. Arrange your preferred doilies, ephemera, and images onto the velvet layered plaque, until you are satisfied with the arrangement, hot glue in place.
3. Now start layering shells around the border of the plaque, starting with the large shells first, then medium, fill in with the tiny shells, using E-6000 glue to hold in place, let set for a few hours.
4. Next finish embellishing your sailor valentine with broken china pieces, charms, ribbon work, broken jewelry, etc.

Tips:-If you do not have E-6000 glue, glue the shells, china bits, broken jewelry in place with either clear caulk or vinyl spackle.

-When working with any strong glue, use in a well ventilated are.

-Use pre-cautions with hot glue, if burned, dip into ice water immediately.

-Instead of velvet or fabric scraps use piano paper or vintage ephemera for the base before layering with shells and bits.

-Try an old bisque doll head in the center, glue in place with clear caulk, let dry, and layer with bits and pieces.

I will upload examples soon!