Have your heart set on it armature for Valentines Day

Use hot glue to secure the cardboard on one side...

Bend and secure the smaller cardboard to give the heart shape some support from the inside. Secure it with hot glue to make sure it is sturdy.

The twigs are going to want to move the heart as you weave it into the container. To keep the heart where I want it in the container, I used 3 dots of hot glue to secure the cardboard to the container.

My first priority is to get the heart shape. For this I secure a really flexible willow stem with a clip to the side of the card board heart.

Secure the thicker willow stem with a clip to the tapered side of the heart...

Allow the side branches to curve around the heart shape and clip it in place.

Build the willow armature up by adding them there where they can connect with other stems.

This is really important. It is going to take a bit of time to build up and it will be a huge disappointment if it is wobbly and unstable once done. My top tip is to make sure you always, always glue each and every twig at least 3 places. I am adding a few thoughts for you in our email this week of what I have noticed made it easier for me to build up this design armature... and remove it without it falling apart.

I send out an email every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) to let everyone know the moment the design is ready for you to view and I add a few notes or tips in the email that will help you make most of the week's inspiration. The sign up is below this post.

Any handy forks in the willow twigs are ideal to split into a support for the heart

Fold flexible willow stems at a sharp angle to make sure it closely follows the shape...

Be mindful of your design as you build the armature, you want this part to be a support for the fresh flower details but not be so obvious that you can see the armature from the fresh plant material.

Add in the stems for sturdiness... but also to look pretty.

Go over the design once more with a paint brush and some glue to make sure everything is secure. The wood glue dries clear so be generous.

Set the armature aside for the twigs to dry into position and for the glue to cure completely.

Be careful when removing the clips. The willow tips are now gorgeously contorted with loads of personality... but it is so fragile!

And slowly roll up the heart so that the hot glue dots pop away and you can remove the cardboard.

Lift up the heart armature and stand it upright to make sure it is secure. Give it a bit of a shake to make sure all the twigs are still glued. Add glue to any connections that are not quite sturdy and clip it it until the glue is cured.

And sprinkle with artificial snow.

See the a Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how I add snow to my wintery designs.

Tie in water tubes to keep the fresh willow hydrated...

And I add a tiny bit of artificial snow to conceal the knots... but more than concealing the knots... a tiny bit of wood glue on the knots make sure that they are as secure as possible.

You can use wood glue on any rope knots that you want to make sure they are secure.

Press the willow stems right to the bottom of the glass tube so that they look like they are standing on the surface and also so that the stems have access to the water right to the last drop.

I am using new growth on the willow tips. They are just too tempting not to use! But conditioning fresh new growth is really difficult. My trick: I grow them. Cut the stems while still in bud and "force" it inside by encouraging it to sprout indoors in warmer temperatures. The plant material that grows this way is ideal for designing and will continue to grow in your design for as long as it remains hydrated.
Book readers see page 75 for more details. For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman

To look like it is growing over and under and all around the willow heart armature.

Weave the vine through the armature with one side branch to the front...

Glue in tiny water tubes every here and there to almost line the heart shape

Design note: I make tiny water tubes (... well... these are still my drinking straw ones... because I can reuse them and they last really well) but I have also started to make the tiny tubes from food grade aquarium pipes. Those look even better! The glue line is almost completely invisible. I have updated the Tutorial below.

I am finishing the design with a few dew drop crystals... but only here and there around the heart shape.

See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how (and why) I add the crystals with a pin.