Make this easy Valentine Topiary yourself with a few supplies and some hot glue! These look awesome for Valentine home decor!
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Valentine’s Day is such a fun holiday to decorate for. It’s an excuse to throw pink all over my house and it’s totally acceptable! The version of this Valentine Topiary I made doesn’t have pink, but it IS sparkly, so I’m in love.
The best thing about this Valentine Topiary? It’s stupid simple to make. If you can use a hot glue gun, you can make this. And it doesn’t turn out looking homemade either!
How to make a Valentine Topiary
Step 1: Gather your supplies.
You will need:
- 5″ Tin Buckets (found a good deal on mine on Amazon)
- (2) 4″ Letter X (found mine at Walmart)
- (2) 4″-5″ Hearts (I found mine at Walmart in the Valentine decor)
- Bamboo Dowel Rods
- Jute (or twine)
- Floral Foam or Styrofoam
- Spanish Moss or Shredded Paper
- Houndstooth Ribbon
- Hot Glue Gun
Step 2: Glue on the twine.
I used these Xs I found at Walmart and they were perfect.
This is the part that will take the longest. You need to wrap and glue, wrap and glue. I just started at the bottom on the fat side and went all the way up. Then I started at the bottom of the thin side and went all the way up.
When you get done, you will have these little spots on the tops of the “ledges”. Cut a piece of twine about 2 inches long and glue it in that section by weaving it back and forth.
For the O’s, I used hearts. I found these lightweight hanging hearts for less than a dollar a piece at Walmart and just cut the gold hanger string off. You could also use a heart shape like the Xs from the craft section and wrap it in ribbon or garland if you wanted.
Step 3: Glue in the styrofoam.
I used styrofoam balls, because it was what I had on hand, but any styrofoam block, or dry floral foam would work for this. If you use a ball like I did, cut the bottom off so they sit flat and sturdy when you glue then in the bottom of the buckets.
Step 4: Glue on the sticks.
I found these bamboo dowel rods at Walmart for $2.00, but you can also get them on Amazon HERE.
These worked perfectly and were a great size for this Valentine Topiary. I used hot glue to attach these to the back of the Xs and hearts.
Pro Tip: Hold the dowel rods firmly against the backs of the objects while they’re drying for about 30 seconds for the best results.
Step 5: Attach the bow.
You can use whatever ribbon you want, but I thought a houndstooth looked so cute with this color scheme! Tie the bow on to the stick before gluing the dowel rods into the foam in the bucket.
Pro Tip: Put a bead of glue on the back of your bow once it’s tied on to keep it in place.
Step 6: Glue the dowel rod in the foam.
The best way to do this to make your Valentine Topiary the most sturdy, is to cover the end of your dowel rod in hot glue, and then press it into the center of your styrofoam. Hold it in place for one minute until it’s dry.
To keep it extra sturdy, add a dollop of glue to the top of the dowel where it attaches to the styrofoam.
Step 7: Add in the filler.
I used spanish moss to fill my buckets, but you could also use colorful shredded paper etc.
When they’re done they will look like this! I am in love with how these turned out, and they look so cute up on my bookshelf!
I also like how they look in a more rustic setting too! They work for rustic decor because of the buckets and the twine, and work for the modern decor with the houndstooth ribbon and the bright red. I’m just in love with this Valentine Topiary set!
Want more DIY Valentine Ideas?
- Reese’s Pieces Valentines – adorable gifts with free printable tags!
- Vintage Valentine Cupcake Toppers – if you love vintage Valentine’s Day you’re gonna flip over these!
- Puzzle Valentines – these custom puzzles are perfect keepsakes!
I can’t wait for you make this DIY Valentine Topiary to set up for Valentine’s Day this year! I’m sure yours will turn out great!
