I love repurposing items for decorations. This rustic painted twig wooden heart is a great way to use some bits and pieces of trees outside to add a cute Valentine's Day decoration.

All you have to do is grab a bit of cardboard, some paint, and go outside to pick up sticks. The rest is easy to assemble and perfect for adding to a wall or door!

Painted Twig Wooden Heart Decoration

I've often been out on a walk around the neighborhood and been inspired. My new home is surrounded by trees and forest land, so finding twigs and branches on the path is common. I stumbled on a little frame made of wooden twigs at Hobby Lobby, then saw a bunch in my backyard, and well, this is the result.

The combination of a few twigs, some glue, paint, and cardboard and bam! I made this great little decoration that is ideal for hanging on Valentine's Day.

If you want to add a little something extra to your Valentine's Day decor, you could make this music sheet lantern, and add Valentine's Day embellishments to it instead of Christmas and make it unique to the holiday. Other options are these love lights or this heart lantern. All are great to go along with my paper hearts garland for a complete love themed decoration.

Can I Use Spray Paint Instead?

You definitely can use any paint you want for this project. I personally find the rustic craft paint to be perfect, but spray paint could work. Especially if you are making multiple wooden heart decorations. Just use an extra piece of cardboard and lay over the area you aren't painting to create the same striped look you achieve with craft paint.

What if I Don't Have Twigs to Use?

The great thing about this idea is that you can truly use anything to create the heart. You could easily use plastic straws, dowel rods, wooden pieces, or even make a larger heart using things like PVC pipes or pool noodles. There are truly no restrictions for this craft project. Make a heart decoration with truly anything you have on hand, whether it is wood or not!

If you do have extra twigs, you can check out this list of home and garden projects using twigs for some ways to use the extra around your home! You could even accent this rustic twine wrapped vase with a few twigs for a more authentic look.

Where Should I Hang This?

This is a beautiful wall decoration like I show in the pictures, but there are tons of other ways to display this decoration. It can be propped on a mantle, hung on the door instead of a wreath, or even lay it on the table as part of a centerpiece. If you make in various sizes, you can create a great grouping of rustic hearts on the wall!

This looks great on your door, but if you prefer to hang inside, you can add this no-sew fabric Valentine's day wreath to your door instead. You could even hang this wooden heart on your neighbors front door along with a note from this "You've been cupid struck" game as a fun way to share the season of love!

Supplies Needed

• Cardboard
• Twigs or branches
• Red paint
• Pink paint
• White paint
• Twine
• Garden shears
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Pen
• Paintbrush

How to Make a Wooden Heart Decoration

For this heart, you will begin by drawing a large heart onto a piece of cardboard, then cut it out and set it aside.

Now, you will lay twigs across the heart-shaped cardboard until you have it covered.

Next, use a pair of garden shears or snippers, and trim the twigs so that they are the length and fit of the heart.

Now, you will tie a small bit of twine around the top of each twig, with at least 5" extra hanging off the end.

Now, you will take the extra length of string and tie to a longer twig you have lain horizontally above the heart.

Continue until all twigs have been tied in place on the long horizontal branch.

Once you have all of these tied in place, you will begin gluing the twigs in place on the cardboard.

Now, you will begin painting the twigs. Start with red on the bottom for just a small portion of the twig.

Next, you will add a line of white about ⅓ the way down from the top of the heart.

Paint a small line of white paint down around 1-2" depending on the area of heart as shown below.

Now, you will fill in the area between the red and white with pink paint.

Now, allow the paint to dry and hang on the wall or door.

Printable Step by Step Photo Tutorial:

Yield: 1

Rustic Painted Twig Wooden Heart Decoration

Print

Rustic Painted Twig Heart is an easy wall art decoration for Valentine's Day! So fun to gather supplies and create this cute decoration!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Active Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

• Cardboard
• Twigs
• Red paint
• White paint
• Pink paint
• Twine

Tools

• Garden shears
• Pen
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun and glue

Instructions

1. Begin by tracing a heart shape on a large piece of cardboard, then cut it out and set aside;
2. Now, gather your twigs, and lay them in an even layer across the cardboard;
3. Measure and snap the ends off of each twig so that they just fit within the heart shape;
4. Now, you will tie a bit of string or twine to the end of each twig at the top of the heart, leave a length of 5" or more to the top of each twig;
5. Next, tie the end of the twine onto a larger horizontal twig or branch;
6. Once all twigs have been tied in place, you will begin gluing them to the cardboard heart;
7. When the glue has dried, you will then begin painting the bottom of the heart shape with red craft paint;
8. Next, add a line of white paint about ⅓ down from the top of the heart, and paint a stripe of white paint leaving space between it and the red paint;
9. Finally, fill in the area between the white and red with pink paint;
10. Set the heart aside to dry, and then hang on the wall or door as desired.

Notes

Add a sprinkle of glitter over the paint before it dries for an added "kick" of sparkle.