Felt Heart Necklace & Bobby Pin Hair Ribbons

In my typical fashion I procrastinated too long to make the wooden disc pendants I had planned to make as one of the prizes for tomorrow's Valentine play date. Even though I'd known about it for weeks, every night I'd think oh I should really start those, because the process takes a few days. But no, I never did. So yesterday I was scrambling thinking what am I going to make?

Then I saw a tutorial for cute Valentine pins on The Purl Bee. I really liked them, but ER really isn't ready for a pin yet. Plus I already had the jump rings and premade string necklaces I'd bought at 40% from Joann's. These felt heart pendant necklaces are what I came up with. I think they're super sweet and that the girls will love them. To start I used my Sizzix Sidekick and a little heart wafter thin die cut to make enough felt hearts for three pendants. The die cuts are meant for paper and not fabric but running the felt through the machine leaves a clear imprint and makes it easy to cut out perfect hearts. The Purl Bee provides a heart template on her tutorial, so if you want a similar heart check there.Holding two of the felt hearts, use three stands of embroidery thread and a running stitch to sew together. About half way through, push the metal flower brad through the heart that will be on the front side of the pendant. Bend the prongs back to secure it in place. If this is for a young child, skip this step and backstitch the child's first initial onto the front heart before begining.Continue using a running stitch around the entire heart, as you get to the end stuff a little fiberfill into the heart to give it some dimention, it also makes the pendant a whole lot cuter! Finish stitching around the heart. At last stitch bring needle up to in between the pieces of felt, knot end of thread to secure. This hides the end knot. When finished knotting, continue to pull the needle between the layers of felt. Bring it up in the middle of the back side of the heart. Pull taunt and hold.
Continue to hold thread firmly; clip the end as close to the felt as possible. Release thread so the end slides back underneath the felt. This is called burying tails.
If you want, use a mini rub-on letter to add the recipient's first initial, these rub-ons are from my favorite scrapbook supply company Doodlebug Designs, to the front of the metal flower brad. Attach a jump ring. I do not have jewelry making tools, nor do I know how to make jewelery. I just used my fingers to pry the ring apart and then pushed it back together to close up the ring. I used a thick needle to poke a hole through the layers of felt to help me attach the jump ring. Then put it on a premade string necklace, this comes complete with metal clasp already attached and ER can slip it on and off by herself when it's in the largest setting.
I also made a set of hair ribbons on bobby pins using One Crafty Mumma's tutorial. The ribbon is a thinner version of the ribbon I used for the felt cuffs. You might remember I also used her tutorial for a felt needleholder. My mom liked mine so much, I also made her one.
I packaged the whole thing up in these little bags I made using patterned scrapbook paper and a Tempting Template from Stampington's Company's Stamper Sampler magazine. It's based on an Ellison gift box die cut, the template can be found here. There are several free unique templates available there.