I am so excited to show you how I created a puzzle piece Valentine heart!
Creatively Beth blog showed this idea on her blog and I knew this would be so perfect for a cheap decoration for a Valentine’s dance for some youth at my church.
Repurposing old puzzle pieces into a beautiful easy DIY Valentine craft brings me so much satisfaction!
![Puzzle piece Heart wreath](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/heart-shaped-puzzle-piece-wreath-768x1024.jpg)
I serve as the president of our Young Women 12-18 church group. In February if all goes well with Covid, we are going to have a Valentine’s Ball for our older girls and the oldest boys in our ward at the church gym.
It is tough decorating a large gym to make it look good and not spend a lot of money. But I have come up with a few ideas that I think will make it look cute.
This puzzle piece Valentine heart wreath project will be perfect!
![puzzle piece valentine wreath](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/puzzle-piece-valentine-wreath.jpg)
Supplies Needed
Thrift store large puzzle pieces (about 60 pieces) or you can purchase these
Iron on vinyl (optional)
Cricut machine (optional),
![Supplies for puzzle piece heart wreath- red pink and white paint puzzle pieces painted](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/painted-puzzle-pieces-red-white-and-pink-.jpg)
Painting puzzle pieces
I needed the Valentine Heart to be large in size so I went to the thrift store and luckily found some larger puzzle pieces that would make a big statement.
Laying them out into a heart shape helped me decide how many pieces I needed.
I used 60 puzzle pieces.
![repurpose thrift store wooden puzzle pieces](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/back-side-of-puzzle-pieces-.jpg)
Then we painted the pieces using pink, white and red paints that I had in my craft room. I enlisted the help of my daughter and my youngest granddaughter Harper, who is 2 1/2.
Harper called our activity “crap-ting” with Ree Ree (my grandma nickname) hahah OH my gosh she is hysterical!
![How to repurpose puzzle pieces by painting with granddaughter](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Haper-holding-up-painted-puzzle-pieces.jpg)
Harper did an amazing job! I could not believe a 2 year old could actually paint the puzzle pieces so well? She put a lot of paint the brush and just pushed the paint all around and completely covered the pieces we gave her to paint.
We only had to go back over them lightly just to make sure the paint was evenly on the puzzle pieces.
![Painting the puzzle pieces pink with children](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Harper-painting-the-puzzle-pieces.jpg)
It was such a fun afternoon with them.
Tip- Paint the backside of the puzzle pieces not the shiny sides. The paint adheres better to the back side.
Cut out heart shape base
For the base of the frame I used a large piece of foam core board. I knew it would hold the weight of bigger puzzle pieces.
First I laid out all the pieces onto the foam board to get an idea of how big I wanted to make the base for puzzle pieces heart wreath.
Speaking of heart wreaths I made a very easy burlap wreath that is super cute.
![using a pencil to draw on each side of the puzzle pieces for heart wreath](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pencil-drawing-on-both-sides-of-puzzles-pieces.jpg)
Then I took a pencil and drew around each side of the puzzle pieces so I would know where to cut with my exacto knife.
I decided to cut it smaller than the width of the puzzle pieces so that you would not see the base.
![exacto knife cutting heart shape for puzzle piece heart wreath](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/exacto-knife-cutting-heart-shape-from-the-foam-board.jpg)
Attaching the puzzle pieces
Next I laid out all the pieces to see how many I would need per side.
It took close to 30 pieces per side.
![DIY Puzzle heart wreath- puzzle pieces laid out on heart shaped base](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pieces-added-to-the-heart-shaped-base.jpg)
Then I just simply hot glued them all on to the foam board base overlapping as I went around the heart shape.
I made sure to get some glue on the piece that it was connecting to as well as a dap of hot glue from the puzzle piece to the base.
How to make banner
I used a 12″ x 18″ white foam sheet to create a banner on the Valentine puzzle heart wreath.
I cut a long piece 18″ long x 3″ wide that would fit the width of the opening of the heart.
![white foam sheets Pieces to make the banner](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/all-pieces-to-create-the-banner-.jpg)
To create the little ends of the banner I cut 2″ square pieces. On one side of each square I cut a “V” shape.
![v shaped foam to banner](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/add-V-shape-to-banner.jpg)
To make it stand up a little I added a skinny folded piece of the foam sheet and hot glued it all together.
![add folded piece to banner](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/add-folded-piece-to-back-of-banner.jpg)
Add vinyl lettering
I used my Cricut machine to cut out vinyl letters to be iron onto the foam sheet but you could just use a permanent marker to write the words. “Love you to pieces”
![Iron on vinyl](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Iron-on-vinyl-from-cricut-machine.jpg)
I ironed on the black vinyl to the white foam sheet banner. Using a cloth to iron over the plastic backing.
![using cloth to iron on vinyl to foam](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/using-cloth-to-iron-on-vinyl-to-foam-sheet.jpg)
As I pulled the backing off of the ironed on vinyl some of the little edges started to pull off.
I used my iron to barely touch up any loose areas. It looked awesome when I was done.
Using my Cricut machine allows me to make things that look so professional. Making all the cake toppers and garland for this 1st birthday party.
![removing back off the cricut iron on black vinyl for puzzle piece heart wreath](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/removing-backing-off-of-iron-on-vinyl.jpg)
I just love how this Valentine pink red and white puzzle piece wreath turned out. I can’t wait to see it at the Valentines Ball for our Young Women. You can view my other Valentine crafts and ideas here
![love to you pieces Valentine heart wreath](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/heart-shaped-puzzle-piece-wreath-768x1024.jpg)
More Valentine Posts
I have put together some really cute and easy Valentine ideas.
Crafts, Tablescape and Recipes! Click here
![](https://karinskottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/valentine-ideas.jpeg)
This crap-ting project turned out lovely! She is adorable and did a wonderful job, thank you for sharing your inspiration with us.
Cara, haha thank you 🙂 We do have fun crap-ting together.
Such a cute craft! Thanks so much for stopping by Home Imagined and sharing it!
Karin, this heart puzzle wreath is so adorable! Best part is being able to repurpose those pieces into a great Valentine’s Day wreath. If you have time come on down to the Home Imagined Party (open till thursday) and share! -Meagan
Thank you Meagan! It was so much fun to make! I will stop by your party now 🙂 Thank you for the invite!
Karin
I’ve always thought this was an adorable Valentine wreath idea, Karin! So happy to be able to feature your post at Tuesday Turn About this week! Pinned!
This is too cute! pinned it twice ;0) Love it Karin! laura in Colorado
Awww Thank you so much! I am so glad you liked it and pinned it twice! 🙂 You just made my day!
Hugs,
Karin
Hey, there, Karin,
I am going to make a heart shaped puzzle like this! It looks pretty easy and will be fun to do.
I love your ideas and really enjoy reading your blogs.
I am wondering if you have ever done something on hairstyles for midlife and older women? I love your hairdo, and plan to take your picture to my beautician to see if she can start working may hair into your style. It’ll probably take awhile because right now my style is pretty short.
Thank you for including me in your mailing list. God’s best blessing for 2022!
Sincerely, Donna Kolbe <
Hi Donna! I am so happy to hear you will be making the wreath! It is so fun and turns out so cute.
I have not done a post on hair… but that might be a fun idea. Thank you for your sweet comment about my hair. If you need more pics… I recently just got it cut and have a couple of pics. You can email me karinbob@gmail.com
I love this Puzzle Piece Valentine Heart Wreath! I love jigsaw puzzles and so naturally this caught my eye. I found you at the Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make Link Party. I love how easy this is to make and I love the saying. I hope that your Young Women – Young Men dance turns out well. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Amy! It was so fun to put it together. I am excited to get these dance decorations put together! 🙂
Hugs,
Karin
Karin, so cute, but I had flashbacks of a puzzle project. All of my paint rolled off. If someone has a problem, I use Gesso, found in the artist isle in the craft store, as primer.
Hi Annie,
I think because I painted the back sides of the puzzle pieces the paint adhered much better. It is more porous on the back of the pieces. The front is usually shiny so the paint would probably not adhere as well. Thanks so much for your idea of using Gesso! That is such a good idea.
Karin