Quick and Easy DIY to Try: Leafy Heart Cut Outs for Valentines Day

Last week, I was working on some last minute styling ideas for this post and ended up breaking apart a stem of variegated kale (you can get it al the grocery store, but I happen to pick mine up from a flower market) and cutting out shapes from each leaf.

Instead of incorporating it into the finished project as a decoration, I thought I’d break it down into it’s own project instead. In the 2015 survey, 73% of you said that you want more quick, super easy DIY ideas. So consider this one of them.

I’m sure you can tell from the photos that these kale hearts are SUPER easy to make, but also kind of fun and lighthearted. Which is pretty much my favorite combo. You could press them between books to let them dry out and use as decoration for Valentine’s Day, add them as edible cake toppers, etc.

All you need is a pair of scissors and variegated kale, ornamental cabbage, or some other large leaf plant or flower. These would be awesome with flower petals!

To make your own, just pull a large leaf of kale from the stem and start cutting. I like to start the bottom of the heart at the base of the leaf and use the middle vein that runs through each leaf as my guide for the center line of each heart.

When you’re finished, you’ll have something that looks like this.

You can stop there and use these little guys as is…for dinner decorations or whatever else you can dream up. Or press the cut outs, either with a wooden press or between heavy books until dried. Pressing flowers and leaves typically takes a while before they’re completely dried out – about one to two weeks usually. BUT you could also try pressing them in the microwave, which will drastically speed up the process. There’s a tutorial for microwave pressing on BHG.

 Concept, photography, and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff

Think you’ll give this mini DIY a try? I’d love to hear any additional uses you can think of for these. I know I’m sure I’m forgetting some things they can be used for.