6. Whitewashed Brick Heart Ornaments
For a softer, more romantic take on rustic brick, whitewashed brick hearts look like they were pulled straight from a European cottage window. The combination of soft whitewash over warm terracotta is genuinely cozy, and the heart shape adds a sweet, sentimental touch.
Cut a small heart shape from thick chipboard, foam board, or layered cardboard. If you have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, you can use it as a template. Once cut, score the surface with horizontal and vertical lines to mimic brick texture. You can also use a hot glue gun to draw thin raised lines that look like mortar joints.
Paint the heart in a base coat of warm terracotta or muted red. Let it dry completely, then use a wide, dry brush to apply a thinned white or off-white paint across the surface. The white will settle unevenly, leaving the brick color peeking through in all the right places. This is the heart of the rustic look, so don’t be too neat about it.
Attach a small loop of lace, twine, or narrow ribbon at the top. These ornaments look stunning grouped together on a small section of branch, and they photograph beautifully. The project takes about an hour including drying time, and it’s a lovely way to use up small scraps of chipboard.