Artful Origami Heart Cards

I discovered these origami hearts when I was invited to review Origami for All. As I mentioned in that post, I have always found origami rather challenging, but these origami hearts which are included as a project in the book, (and which you can also find out how to make here), are really so simple to make that even I can do it. They look fabulous made from children’s paintings and drawings, or indeed decorative paper of any kind, and I used them to make a selection of Valentine cards. They have a wonderful 3 dimensional quality to them, and a little ‘pocket’ at the back which is perfect for placing something inside – a small gift like a mini-chocolate bar, a sprig of foliage, or even a secret message. You can combine different sizes, put them together as a group or use them singly; there are so many variations on a theme that you can create with these hearts. All you need to do is attach the heart to the card with a piece of double-sided tape.

A couple of tips if you fancy creating some yourself:

Thin paper is easiest to use for the hearts, so don’t choose anything painted on watercolour paper, or where the paint is thick. If necessary though you can always cheat by scanning the artwork and printing out a copy.

Don’t place anything too heavy in the pocket, as it makes the card difficult to stand up.

If you want to include a small treat, use a larger heart.

My secret messages were written on the back of a small piece of plain coloured or metallic paper and then folded to size. If you want to you could tie it round with some thread too to add a further decorative touch.