DIY Origami Heart Love Note
Feb 12 2010
Sigh... I had all these plans to create a plethora of DIY Valentine's Day projects for Eat Drink Chic. However, plans for my impending engagement party have taken up so much of my time that I've had to put these ideas on hold.
A few days ago I created these little origami heart invitations for our engagement. They open up to reveal the invitation message inside and have an attached string so that guests can also use them as a keepsake decoration. They also sit snugly in little translucent paper pockets with sewn edges.
However, in a last ditch effort to get at least SOMETHING up for Valentine's Day (as last-minute as it may be), I've removed the invitation text and provided them for you to download to write a little love note to your Valentine. In fact, you could even use this to surprise your significant other at any time of the year with an unexpected love message.
Continue to read more about the project and to download your freebies!
KEEPING IT SIMPLE
The concept for these little hearts was to keep the design as minimal as possible and instead rely on the merits of poetic words, origami craftmanship, delicate hand-stitching and some simple but beautiful materials. I just love this quote from Irish songwriter/novelist Samuel Lover "Come live in my heart and pay no rent'.
Throughout the process of planning and designing my engagement, I've come to realise that I am far more partial to small, intimate gatherings. A celebration with only your nearest and dearest allows for all those personally crafted details that make a get-together more unique and special.
Unfortunately, I've had a bit of a struggle to create this kind of event for a guest list of over 100 people. You end up sacrificing those quality personal touches to accommodate the sheer quantity of guests. For example, it is simply not possible for me to hand-stitch over 40 translucent pockets in the time that I have. (The sewing machine was proving troublesome when working with this paper and, believe me, I'm no seamstress!). I've instead settled with only sewing 5 stitches in each side.
However, despite some setbacks, I still persist at trying to implement as many of these little details as I can get away with! Over the next few weeks, I will no doubt be imparting more stories and projects from this crazy process.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HEART
Print out your origami heart design onto good quality, ribbed or textured, white or off-white stock. Use a ruler and scalpel to cut out the design. For instructions to create an origami heart out of the printed design, see this page. It includes a video tutorial which is easy to follow! Important note: When you first begin folding, start with the side with the design facing down.
Once you're created your heart, fold up from the bottom to reveal the space for your hand-written love message. Write your message and fold it shut again. Punch a small round hole in the top and string through your white yarn/twine and tie a knot at the end.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR POCKET
Print out your pocket design onto white translucent paper. Using a ruler and scalpel, gently score along the middle of your printed pocket design (marked by the dotted lines) then cut out design. Fold along the scored line then take your needle and white thread and hand-stitch along each side (I've used a back-stitch). For an added detail, you could use a pair of mini scallop scissors to create some decorative edging along each side.
Slip your origami heart into the center of your pocket. To mail, slip into a square kraft paper envelope.
I will be spending this weekend with my fiance creating the invitations. Printing, cutting, folding, stitching...lots of fun!
Hope you enjoy your Valentine's Day!
And I love what is written on the heart. =)
A few years ago I helped a friend make reception favors. It was a lot of fun. She and her husband made all of the invitations. She said her greatest nightmare was to go to the house of one of the invitees only to see the invitation at the bottom of a wastebasket!
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day.
Browsing your blog is one of the happiest thing I always love to do.^_^
Happy Valentine's Day
Hope you had a lovely day and that your little hands are not too sore from all that work!
Love Love
Hello Sando
xxx
<3
crissy- that's so sweet how you included it in your breakfast tray!
em- did you make those out of kraft paper? they look great! just finished making 50 of them this weekend with my fiance. it took us a few hours but it just gets easier the more you do!
I'll think of something so nice to send to our guests...
i was just wondering what font you used to type the quote? i might have to use that font sometime...its pretty~
And ohhh so cute! Thanks for the download :)
What kind of paper can I use?
Thak you so much!
I would love to use one of your images of the heart origami on my blogspot.
kind regards,
carla
Pavla
I was wondering how you you managed to design the paper so that the quote lined up so precisely. We are thinking of using these to make a unique guest book for a 50th wedding anniversary. We'd make them out of different colors, fold them all, let guests write inside them and then put them all in a lg. old fashioned clear glass cookie jar. It's not that we don't love your quote & rose it's just that we'd like to put the quotes that we've used for other parts of the decor/invites on ours.
Thanks, Emma
There was a bit of measurement and a little bit of trial and error involved in getting it in the correct spot.
I guess the best way is to start with a rectangular sheet of paper with dimensions of your choosing, fold it into the heart. write some text in the areas that you plan to have text in. unfold so that you can see where they exist on the paper then in illustrator, or whatever program you are using, draw up the rectangle with the same dimensions and place the text in the appropriate areas. As a guide, I actually drew up the fold lines in illustrator as well. Then I printed it out and tested it and adjusted it a few times to make sure the text was in exactly the spot I wanted it. I hope that was helpful and not too confusing :)
i love this cute love heart note, I downloaded and used the template you have put on here to download, however mine doesn't seem to match up,
meaning about the writing saying,
"come live in my heart and pay no rent"
it's all out of line.
Thanks so much!
I'd like to change quote using Adobe Acrobat Pro but I thought very difficult!
Coud you give me some clue? How can I edit the text using Adobe?
Thanks, Mary
Cool Origami Heart. :) Thanks for stopping by my blog recently. Have a wonderful weekend!
hi-d
Thank you for the inspiration. About two weeks ago my fiance and I were playing with the idea of doing origami invitations for our wedding and here they are! I may use these as my wedding invites or save the dates as well as incorporating it into the reception to tie it all together.
Question, where did you order the translucent paper and envelopes?