Hearts With A Mission

I recently found a heart mold in a thrift shop for $1.00. The mold is used to make ice cubes and has Ikea's name on it. I like to make different items out of cement/concrete so decided to put some excess mix into the mold one day. The result was nicely formed, hard, easily worked with hearts! I decided to paint them and then got the idea of adding letters to the hearts. This instructable shows all the steps in these processes.

Step 1 Gather Materials

The usual mixing tools, buckets, water, measuring cups/cans, stirrers, spoons, cement mixtures of various kinds, etc.

Comments

[gemgh]

These are fabulous. I will be making some cool projects with the same idea but different shapes.
Thanks so very much for a wonderful tutorial.

[cdawisconsin]

I'm up at my local thrift store and am browsing the kitchen section and find a heart icecube tray. No joke, but have been on the lookout since seeing this Instructable, and just in time for Valentine's Day. Wondering what type of cement or grout mixture you liked the best?

[Creativeman]

All work about the same as far as I could tell. Don't think I tried "cement all", which would allow much more rapid drying times...

[divinebluesky]

I love that you have so many cementious mixes to choose from :)

[cdawisconsin]

Just added this Instructable to my favorites. Great idea. Thanks.

[stripedstarfish]

 I am curious if paint could be mixed into the cement instead of painting it after it dries? Have you tried the concrete coloring as previously suggested? I think this is a marvelous idea and am excited to try it  - just as soon as possible! Thanks!!

[Creativeman]

You're welcome!  I have tried coloring the concrete but the colorants for large batches is really pale colors, not what I wanted to achieve.  Adding latex paint will color the batch, but if you overdo it, the mix will be weak.  But try it, you may have better luck than I...if you do let me know, thnx...Cman

[Iyer2711]

"delicious" looking hearts, and the dragon looks VERY nice too :-)

[war8sushi]

aww man these are AWESOME!!!

[Creativeman]

Thank you! Cman

[Ninzerbean]

Who's Bonnie? I'm jealous. Great job anyway - have you thought about using concrete stain instead of paint? It soaks in and the look is not so "plastic-y" as paint. Also, putting a little notch in the back would allow you to hang them on a nail. The notch could be made when the concrete is not quite set. I really like these.

[Creativeman]

Thanks NB...good input, as usual. I need to look into stain, but have not tried it as yet....did you find your name? Cman

[Ninzerbean]

OOOOOHHHHHH! ok, I'm not jealous anymore, wow.

[Creativeman]

See, your fame just continues to spread! Soon your name will be a household word! Cman

[Ninzerbean]

Mission accomplished then. And very funny.

[Goodhart]

Wouldn't it be easier to add the jewelry anchors while the mix was still setting?

[Creativeman]

Yes sir, it would be easier if it could be done so that the loops didn't interfere with the heart itself...how would you position it, for example....hmmmm...something to think about. thanks, Cman

[Goodhart]

Would this method work.....

[Creativeman]

After thinking about it for awhile, I had come up with essentially the same thing. What a coincidence,eh? Thanks for the input Goodhart! I will try this. Cman.

[Goodhart]

You're welcome :-) I am always looking for ways to do things the will lower the amount of time spent on them and reduce the possible problems of, say breakage by drilling, etc.

[Jent13]

How would u use them to make a necklace? like how would u hang them? would u drill a hole, glue a hook, or wrap wire?

[Creativeman]

Thanks for asking. I added this fix: I decided to drill a hole in each heart and made an "anchor" out of light wire. A glass/tile drill bit 1/16th in. is used to drill as shown. Forcing the anchor into the hole will keep it in place, but to stabilize it I just used some white glue. this could also be epoxy for greater strength. It would be possible to make additional links for the anchor as shown, but you can by these small loops in the jewelery section at Michael's. Shown are the anchors in place, ready to be strung into a necklace! Cman

[Creativeman]

My comment should read: 3/16th of an inch! Also, the jewelry pieces terms are "jump rings" and "swivel clasps"....find info online. Cman

[Tape-structable]

Suggestion: Add magnets to the bottom, and use them as refrigerator magnets.

[cowscankill]

Those look really good! They only think I can think of using them for right now is fancy paper weights.