Wow! We’ve reached the final day of the 31 Days of Love, and what an amazing art project we have for you today! Cassie Stephens is an incredible art teacher, blogger, and YouTuber, and she is sharing this wonderfully creative Valentine Decoration with you – Giant Conversation Hearts sculptures. She creates hers with plaster, but recommends trying paper mache if plaster isn’t available. I hope you enjoy her tutorial as much as I do! We certainly adore Conversation Heart Crafts. They’re so much fun.
Hello, Cutie Pies and Love Bugs, will you Be Mine as we embark on this Candy Heart Sculpture adventure? I’m incredibly excited about this seriously sweet Valentine’s project (and perhaps a little sugar’ed up after eating one too many candy hearts)! It’s ideal for artists both young and old, particularly children aged 10 and up. I’ve already completed a whole collection and now I think I need to make a giant-sized box in which to showcase them!
Here’s what you’ll need to create your own DIY ConversationHearts Sculpture:
- Tag or poster board, one 2″ X 24″ strip and two 8″ squares
- A pair of scissors
- A stapler
- Tape
- Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth from Activa Products (However, you can also try making this as a Paper Mache Art Project)
- About 24″ of plaster wrap for each heart. Since the wrap is 6″ wide, I sliced it in half for this craft.
- Acrylic paint
How to create Conversation Heart Sulptures
Cassies tutorial today comes in the form of a video, and I think you’ll agree that she is an absolute GEM to watch. So, without any further delay, take a look at this Conversation Heart Sculptures video!
As an art teacher, I completed this project with my 10 year old students. During our first hour-long art lesson, we built the armature and prepared the plaster strips. In the following class, we coated our hearts with plaster. It was incredibly enjoyable. To keep the plaster dust under control, remember to cover your table (and floor!) and use separate containers just as I did in the video. During the final session, we painted the hearts and added our messages. My students had a wonderful time, and so did I…I made four candy hearts!
When plaster isn’t an option, papier mache makes an excellent substitute. I’ve discovered that placing projects in front of a fan helps them dry more quickly. After all, you’ll be eager to begin painting your candy heart!
Don’t forget to explore the history of Candy or Conversation Hearts and learn how they’re produced. I discovered that Necco, the candy company, has been making these hearts for more than a century! They update the messages on the hearts too, introducing fresh sayings every year. For me, inventing my own “conversation” was the most enjoyable part.
If you’re looking for more Valentine’s enjoyment, take a look at some of these fantastic Valentine’s Day Art Projects for Kids!
If you’re joining the 31 Days of Love series late, you can find all the projects conveniently organized by theme here:
More Fabulous Conversation Heart Crafts for Kids:
