DIY ornament - Budget friendly Valentines decor

Today, I am excited to share with you how to transform recycled cardboard into a DIY ornament for Valentine’s decor. If you are looking for a fun way to recycle cardboard, then you must give this cute heart DIY ornament a try for your Valentine’s Day décor! This adorable heart ornament DIY is not only a great way to recycle cardboard, but it is also a super budget-friendly Valentine’s Day DIY. How cute would this DIY heart ornament be hanging on a Valentine’s Day tree with white lights?!

Step 1, How to corrugate cardboard – Cut out a square shape from cardboard and then corrugate the cardboard. To corrugate cardboard, simply run your square piece of cardboard under some warm water to saturate it where the cardboard meets, then peel the cardboard apart and allow it to dry.

Step 2. Once your square piece of corrugated carboard is completely dry, paint both sides with white chalk paint using a cheap chip brush. It is okay to allow some of the cardboard to show through the white chalk paint. I actually prefer this as it makes the project look more antique. Allow to dry.

Step 3. Take some antique wax and put some on a paintbrush, then use a scrap piece of cardboard to rub some of the antique wax off of the paint brush, and then brush the remaining antique wax on the brush over your white chalk painted piece of cardboard. This will give the project a rusty/antique look. Allow to dry. Repeat this process for the back of the cardboard square. Allow to dry.

Step 4. Next, use a heart cutout of your choice, trace it onto a piece of cardboard, and then cut out the heart. *Be sure the heart cutout you use will fit onto the front of your square.

Step 5. Using Waverly chalk paint in the color “crimson,” paint your heart cutout. Allow to dry.

Step 6. Place your heart on the front center of your white chalk painted corrugated square to make sure it is centered, then take a piece of twine and tie a small simple bow, and trim away any excess twine from the bow. Next, starting from the back of the square, hot glue down a piece of twine and then wrap it around middle of the heart a few times, hot glue it securely to the back of the square, and trim away the excess twine. Then, how glue the small twine bow onto the center of the heart, over top of the strands of twine that are wrapped around the heart. Allow to dry. Trim any excess twine.

Step 7. Next, hot glue the heart onto the center of the corrugated cardboard square. Allow to dry.

Step 8. Using a hole puncher, punch a hole at the top of each side of the corrugated cardboard square. You should now have two holes, one at each top corner, punched through the top of your square. Then, take a piece of twine to feed through the two holes. Tie a few knots at each end so that they are big enough to not go through the holes. This will allow you to hang your project. Trim away any excess twine.