An alternative to Valentine’s Day flowers
I don’t normally do anything for Valentine’s Day. Roses are not an option for me as they are not in season in the UK in February and I always try to buy seasonal British flowers. However, this year I decided to make a clay heart twig tree using air drying clay and some foraged branches. All very inexpensive and better for the environment than buying roses that have been imported.
You will need:
White air drying clay
A large apothecary jar
Heart shape cutters
A rolling pin
Twine
Foraged twigs
Wooden skewers
A small bowl of water
Sandpaper
Step 1:
Roll out the clay using a rolling pin. I used some wooden skewers to try to keep the thickness of the hearts the same.
Step 2:
Use the cutters to cut out the hearts. I used small and medium sized cutters. Use a small amount of water to smooth around the edges of the hearts with your fingers. Using the flat end of the wooden skewer, make a hole so that you can add the twine once the hearts are dry. I made approximately 50 hearts.
Step 3:
Leave the hearts to dry for around 24 hours. Turn them over a few times to ensure they dry flat.
Step 4:
Once the hearts are completely dry, give them a light sand if required to smooth any rough edges. Then simply add the twine.
Step 5:
Add the branches to the apothecary jar and then add the hearts. A lovely table display for Valentine’s Day and you can use the clay hearts again next year!