I once made loads of heart-themed decorations for a craft market. These beaded hearts were a winner and remain so. Make a heart-shaped mould  from solid wood that you can use over and over again.

Recycled items

• Solid block of wood, at least 20 cm thick and an area large enough to accommodate the wire template

• beads of any size and shape

• string

• ribbon

Also needed

• permanent marker

• hammer

• small nails (with very small heads)

• medium galvanised wire (to create the heart-shaped template)

• wire cutter

• long-nose pliers

• scissors

Method

1. Draw a heart shape to your desired dimensions on one side of the block of wood with a permanent marker. Hammer nails partially into the wood, following the heart shape, to create a template.

2. Use a length of string to measure around the heart, then add another 2 cm. Cut the wire to this length and twist the extra 2 cm into a loop (to prevent the beads from slipping off).

3. String the beads onto the wire, leaving just enough exposed wire (± 2 cm) to secure the shape.

4. Bend the bead-covered wire around the template of nails. Twist the two ends together with long-nose pliers and lift the heart off the template. 

5. Trim away any excess wire with the wire cutter.

6. Decorate the heart with string or ribbon as desired.