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The Queen of Hearts Cuff: Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

February 02, 2007

Valentine's Day is a great holiday. There isn't too much obligation or expectation. You don't have to buy gifts for everyone you know or cook a gigantic meal. It's really just an opportunity to show some love. Show it to your friends, family, crush ... or yourself! This simple project is a great, quick gift for a special friend, or just what you've needed to spruce up that Valentine's outfit. Created with items you can probably find around the house, the Queen of Hearts Cuff will be your number one accessory for the day of love this year.

You'll need:

3 Queen of Hearts cards
4 Self-adhesive hole reinforcements
Single hole punch
Sharp scissors
Needle and red thread
Various shades of red seed beads
Sequins
9-inch piece of red ribbon
9-inch piece of white ribbon
Clear mailing labels
Any color Sharpie (or computer with printer)
Sewing machine

Pick 3 Queen of Hearts playing cards. When you select your cards, make sure you like the graphics on the back of the cards. Since you'll be rendering 3 decks of cards unplayable, you'll have no choice but to use these cards for other craft projects, and the backs of some cards are so classic and cool!

Cut each card in half horizontally, and decide what order you want the cards to go in. Line up your cards with the uncut end on top of the cut end, so that your cut is covered up.

With the sewing machine, sew the cards together into a long strip. Zig-zag stitches will add extra fun!

On the 2 end cards, punch 2 holes along the edge towards the middle.

Place a hole reinforcement around the hole on the back side of the cards.

Now have fun with beads and sequins. Sew them all over the place or just in strategic spots. Adorn your Queens and make them pretty for Valentine's Day!

To add extra intrigue to your Queen of Hearts Cuff, use some clear mailing labels and add a special handwritten or printed message. You can do the classics from the little heart candies: "Be Mine", "True Love", or "Kiss Me". Make the message more personal, like "CB + DP 4-ever". Or use the ultra-grade-school equation:

  2 Lovers
+ 2 Gether
---------------
  4 Ever
+ 4 Good
---------------
  8 n't Love Sweet

Hand write your message onto the labels with a Sharpie or print them from the computer (be sure to get funky with your fonts!). Place the labels in visible areas on the cuff. Cut the labels down to a smaller size before sticking them on. To complete the cuff, thread the ribbon through the holes to connect the 2 ends. You're ready to wear your heart on your sleeve! xoxo