Introduction: Making a Heart ($) Shaped Money Clip in Blender

Hello Everyone, you know me from my animatronic creations such as johnny 5, robot tanks, and Wall-E.
Today, I'm going to show you how to make a heart-shaped money clip in blender.

Here is a link to download the blend file https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18723152/Moneyclip.blend

Here is what the final product looks like ---- there are more pictures on the last step


Step 1: The Dollar Sign/ Heart Shape

At first, start by create a text of a dollar sign and then convert it into mesh:
1.click shift+a, select text, click tab button, and type in the dollar sign

To make it geometrically proportional, I changed the text to times new roman
2. in the editing mode of the dollar sign text, go to the edit menu on the right and in the font options browse for the text file on your computer (times.std) 

I order to manipulate the shape of the sign, you have to turn it into a mesh
3. click alt+c and select the second option of mesh from curve/meta/surf/text

To create a heart shape, extrude this thin mesh in edit mode (press e) and get in the object mode (press tab) --- after that duplicate the mesh (shift + d) and rotate the new mesh (r + cursor). Join both shapes at the center of the x and y axis to overlap similar areas (so it won't fall apart when you print it on a 3d printer). 

Step 2: The Backbone

To create the base of the money clip, cut a cylinder in half and rotate+extrude it. 

Move this mesh at the edge of the dollar signs and transform the edges as much as what is necessary

Extrude the edge of the cylinder by selecting and dragging the end vertices up to the edge of the dollar signs (the front)

Step 3: The Diamond

To create the diamond:
1. click shif+a, mesh, extra objects, gemstones, and select diamond

To alter the shape of the diamond:
2. on the left you'll see a menu, adjust the number of cuts and edges to change the shape

Resize and move the diamond to the center of the bottom of the two dollar signs

Separating faces:
3. In edit mode, select four faces of the diamond and separate them (press p -- by selection) 

These separated faces will get a different color and emphasize the design of the diamond

Step 4: Coloring

Select each shape and on the right side go to the material button of the menu

select a color for each mesh and make sure to give the diamond a different color from its separated faces

Step 5: Ta Da!

Here it is, the results: