Puffed Hearts

Finished Dish of Hearts
Valentine’s Day!  Hearts, chocolates, wine, romance, silly sayings and sending love to friends! One of my favorite holidays! I’ve been thinking of making a valentine that would be fun and a little different.… something small that would remind my friends of me and let them know how much I care.  And this is what I came up with…..puffed hearts!

I've wanted to make air-filled beads for a while.  A tutorial by Page McNall  http://www.flickr.com/photos/15361297@N00/6869585142/ was clear and very helpful.  See her photos on flickr.

My Old Quilt Canes
Out came my heart cutters, my red and white quilt canes and polymer in red, white and translucent and started the conditioning.  The red was rolled to #3 and the quilt canes were cut and arranged on the red sheet.  I made spiral canes of translucent and white glitter.  The glitter made the canes very difficult to cut thin slices.  Dulls the blade rapidly!  Next time I don’t think I would use the glitter.  I also made spiral canes of translucent and pearl.  As you can see in the photos, I placed the translucent spirals over the quilt patterns and smoothed the layers. 

Cane Slices over Red Polymer
Rolled Translucent Spirals over the Quilt Canes
Following the tutorial on air-filled beads I used the larger heart shape to drape the sheet of clay into and covered with a red sheet for backing.  I had no trouble cutting the two pieces and sealing the air between.  Be sure to check for cracks in the clay and repair before you put on the back layer.
  
Back side of canes draped in the heart mold.

Heart Flipped Over Shows the Air Trapped Inside
Puffed Heart  - you can leave it like this or...
You can take a smaller heart, position it and press.
     Cutting the tiny heart was fun as the air moved inside the heart!  This was such fun!

Finished Hearts

The left over clay turned into large beads with translucent spirals.  This was a great way to use old canes and make them look different. 

  


 I can’t wait to say Happy Valentine’s Day and hand my friends a handmade heart.
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Location: Prescott, AZ, USA

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