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January 26, 2017 by: Ashley Greenwood

DIY Valentine Decor ~ Watercolor Heart Artwork

Today I’m sharing DIY Valentine decor made from a thrift store find and a child’s watercolor paint set. It’s a simple watercolor heart artwork that will add a pop of color to your Valentine’s Day home decor.

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

Don’t you just love trash to treasure projects?

I know I do!

It’s so much fun to take a $3.00 thrift store find and change it into a piece of home decor that makes you proud. And that is exactly what I’m sharing with you today.

I took an outdated wooden plaque, stripped it down, and added a sweet watercolor heart. It makes a great DIY Valentine Gift.

I’m also joining forces with some of my favorite bloggers for a Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge. We are sharing tons of thrifty upcycle ideas to get your creative wheels spinning.

Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge

Here’s the rules we have to follow for the Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge:

  • Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
  • There’s no monthly theme.
  • There’s no budget to stick to.

Meet the Hosts

Amanda | The Kolb Corner    Maureen | Red Cottage Chronicles    Kim | Made in a Day
Dru | Polka Dot Poplars    Erlene | My Pinterventures

Colleen | Life on Kaydeross Creek    Pili | Sweet Things
Shirley | Intelligent Domestications    Ann | Duct Tape and Denim

Debra | Shoppe No. 5    Marie | DIY Adulation
Chelsea | The Johnsons Plus Dog    Jes | My DIY Envy    Lindsay | Crazy Organized
Molly | Just a Little Creativity    Ashley | 3 Little Greenwoods

Kimm | Reinvented    Michelle | Our Crafty Mom
Ali | Home Crafts by Ali    Sue | A Purdy Little House   Sara | Twelve on Main
Claire | Pillar Box Blue     Chelc | Inside the Fox Den

Kim | Farmhouse Made       Victoria | Dazzle While Frazzled
Sherry | Savvy Apron    Jennifer and Vicki | 2 Bees in a Pod

Lora | Craftivity Designs    Megan | C’mon Get Crafty
Denise | My Thrifty House    Toni | Small Home Soul    Deborah | Salvage Sister and Mister

Make sure you follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!

Now let me tell you about my thrift store find.

The DIY Valentine decor started as a wooden plaque all about mothers. It was covered in pink flowers and a sweet Mother’s Day poem.

Now I love my mama just like everyone else but this just wasn’t my style.

However, it fit perfectly in between the shelves on the corner of our kitchen cabinets. I knew I could do something with it!

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to see my complete disclosure policy.

DIY Valentine Decor ~ Watercolor Heart Artwork

small wooden plaque (buy one here)

Goo Gone Adhesive Remover Spray (buy it here)

watercolor paper (buy it here)

child’s watercolor set (buy it here)

spray adhesive (buy it here)

How to Make Watercolor Heart Artwork

Step One: Strip It Down

I have to admit it took quite a bit of time and muscle to get that Mother’s Day poem off the wooden plaque.

Goo Gone Adhesive Remover Spray got the process started but simply wetting the paper and scraping it made the most difference.

Step Two: Find Inspiration

One of my favorite Christmas presents were these Ceramic Decorated Measuring Bowls from The Pioneer Woman. Their colorful cuteness and small size make them perfect for our kitchen cabinet corner shelf.

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

I grabbed our daughter’s new watercolor set and started playing with the colors.

Step Three: Sketch the Design and Start Painting

The design for the DIY Valentine decor was a simple heart with the word you written beside it.

The first color palette was made with primary watercolors colors on watercolor paper.

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

Colors are my thing but this a tad too bright. It didn’t quite match the more muted colors of the measuring cups.

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

The second try was just right!

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

Step Four: Attach the Watercolor Heart Painting to the Plaque

Use spray adhesive to attach the artwork to the wooden plaque.

I love this little piece of DIY Valentine decor hanging above my favorite measuring cups! It fits perfectly between the small kitchen shelves and adds just the right amount of color.

DIY Valentine Decor || Valentine's Day Gift || Watercolor Art

 

Don't Forget It! Pin It Button from 3 Little Greenwoods

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little thrifty upcycle project. If you love it, please pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!

And now for more thrifty goodness!

Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!

An InLinkz Link-up



2015 signature

Visit Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods’s profile on Pinterest.

I link up with these fun parties!

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and/or is a sponsored post. I may receive compensation in the form of monetary compensation or product compensation in exchange for my review. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored or contains affiliate links, all the opinions are my own. Why do I do this? It will help me keep this DIY’ing Mama crafting for another day! For more on my disclosure policy click here.

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  • $2 Valentine Wreath Made with Trash Bags!$2 Valentine Wreath Made with Trash Bags!
  • How to Make an Easy Bow for Wreaths and Door HangersHow to Make an Easy Bow for Wreaths and Door Hangers
  • Rolled Fabric Flowers Art for Valentine’s DayRolled Fabric Flowers Art for Valentine’s Day
  • DIY Wall Art with a DIY Paint by Numbers TechniqueDIY Wall Art with a DIY Paint by Numbers Technique
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Comments

  1. 1

    Amanda @ The Kolb Corner says

    January 26, 2017 at 10:19 am

    Very cute and it goes perfectly with those Pioneer Woman measuring cups (jealous btw). I really need to pick up watercolor. I loved it as a kid, and I see all of these amazing projects with it.

    Reply
  2. 2

    Claire says

    January 26, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Love the colourfulness of your heart!

    Reply
  3. 3

    Shirley Wood says

    January 26, 2017 at 11:48 am

    I see those old plaques at thrift stores often. You really gave that one new life. Your watercolor choices are really pretty.

    Reply
  4. 4

    Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled says

    January 26, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    Great upcycle! Visiting from Thrift Store Challenge.

    Reply
  5. 5

    Deborah says

    January 26, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    Oh you know I love a good plaque makeover. 🙂 This is gorgeous!

    Reply
  6. 6

    Ann Tatum says

    January 26, 2017 at 2:49 pm

    I love watercolor! That would be so fun to make.

    Reply
  7. 7

    Michelle James says

    January 26, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    Love this beautifu watercolor art! So pretty!

    Reply
  8. 8

    Dru Beecher says

    January 26, 2017 at 10:34 pm

    What a fun idea! I love the look of the watercolors!

    Reply
  9. 9

    Kim~madeinaday says

    January 27, 2017 at 2:40 pm

    Ha you cracked me up about how you love your mama. Too funny. Very pretty watercolor. That’s one think I have not attempted yet. You make it look so easy. Great project.
    Kim

    Reply
  10. 10

    Debrashoppeno5 says

    January 27, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    This is so pretty. It matches the measuring cups perfectly.

    Reply
  11. 11

    Lora says

    January 27, 2017 at 10:52 pm

    Love the colors, love the inspiration piece and I’m jealous of your pretty handwriting 🙂 haha. Seriously, your “you” looks so lovely!

    Reply
    • 12

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:51 am

      Thanks for the comment about my handwriting. You are too sweet! I think it’s because I’ve been a kindergarten teach for like ~ forever! 🙂

      Reply
  12. 13

    Sue Purdy says

    January 28, 2017 at 9:03 am

    This is so pretty! And I love how it coordinates with the bowls. Great job.

    Reply
    • 14

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:50 am

      Thanks, Sue! Those bowls are my favorites!

      Reply
  13. 15

    Denise says

    January 28, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    Love this repurpose and your watercolor is so bright and cheery. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply
    • 16

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:49 am

      Thanks for the sweet comment, Denise!

      Reply
  14. 17

    Chelsea @ The Johnsons Plus Dog says

    January 29, 2017 at 12:34 am

    Very cute upcycle!! I love watercolors.

    Reply
    • 18

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:48 am

      I love watercolors too! It’s amazing what you can make with a child’s watercolor set, isn’t it?

      Reply
  15. 19

    Pili says

    January 29, 2017 at 7:08 pm

    I really like it is so colorful and bright! I hope you share it too on your link up part.Enjoy the rest of the week

    Reply
  16. 20

    Toni | Small Home Soul says

    January 30, 2017 at 1:42 am

    I haven’t water colored since my daughter was young but this inspires me to try it again, and very soon, I love this!!

    Reply
    • 21

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:47 am

      Watercolors are so much fun! They don’t even have to be the expensive sets to make something beautiful.

      Reply
  17. 22

    Kim says

    January 30, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    This is so so adorable!!

    Reply
    • 23

      3littlegreenwoods says

      February 2, 2017 at 4:47 pm

      Thank you, Kim!

      Reply
  18. 24

    Megan says

    February 4, 2017 at 8:24 pm

    Such pretty watercolor art, this is so sweet!

    Reply
    • 25

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 11, 2017 at 8:46 am

      Thanks, Megan! I loved making it and the little watercolor looks so cute on our kitchen shelf.

      Reply
  19. 26

    Wendi Wachtel says

    February 15, 2017 at 1:15 pm

    This is darling! Love the colors and sentiment. It’s so pretty I’d keep it up year round. Especially the yellow one it reminds me of daffodils! Pinned:)

    Reply
    • 27

      Ashley Greenwood says

      February 27, 2017 at 9:00 pm

      Thanks so much, Wendy! My little watercolor heart makes me so happy!

      Reply

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