Love Me Tender Valentine Decor

Last year I created these Love Me Tender Prints perfect for Valentine’s Day and I’m excited to show you how to make a perfectly simple, perfectly wonderful project using them! This was originally a guest post at U-Create last year, so it might be familiar. If not, I hope you like the new idea!

Let’s get started! First up, gather your materials.

3 wood plaques (found at any craft store) * Love Me Tender prints * ribbon

craft paint * Mod Podge * Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter Finish

sponge brush * glue gun (not pictured) * staple gun (not pictured)

I put together these *free!* printables for my readers last year in three different color ways: red, pale pink, and turquoise. I’m using the red option today, but you could make yours in any of the three colors. Click HERE to be taken to the download!

**UPDATE: You can also download the prints HERE if the first location doesn’t work for you or tries to charge you.**

Now the crafting begins! Paint a nice thick coat of the craft paint.

Let the paint dry and paint and apply another thick coat. Allow the second coat to dry. (I painted one coat at the beginning of nap time and the second coat at the end of naptime.)

Let’s get to Mod Podging! Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the dried board and carefully place one of the prints on top. Coat the top of the print with a thick layer of Mod Podge and allow to dry. Repeat with the other two boards. The paper will crinkle up a bit, but settles back down during drying time. (Please don’t panic like I did.)

By the time your boards are ready for display, you’ll have two thick coats of Mod Podge and two thick coats of the Glitter Finish. I know I’ve said it before, but it really is important: let your boards dry completely in between each coating!

With the ribbon, tie a nice pretty bow and leave the tails of the ribbon about six inches long on each side. Use the glue gun to inject hot glue into the bow’s center to keep it from unravelling. I have glue in the front, the back, the sides; that center part of that bow is loaded!

Although you could easily use the glue gun for this step as well, I wanted to make sure that this part was sturdy and would last for years to come. Staple the ends of the ribbon to the “Love Me Tender” board.