Tutorial: Sunburst state map (DIY home decor)

Happy Monday! Today, I will be sharing a tutorial I wrote last month for the Burlap & Buttercups blog. The kit I used is now sold out but the project can be done with any papers you like!

Bonjour! Aujourd'hui, je partage un tuto que j'ai écris le mois dernier pour le blog de Burlap & Buttercups. Le kit que j'ai utilisé n'est plus disponible mais le projet peut se faire avec n'importe quels papiers de votre choix et pour n'importe quel pays!

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I created this wall hanging after I fell in love with this print on Etsy and while I followed Julie Kirk's Month of Sunrays. I wanted to make my own version with the February kit and here is the result:

You can do it for any state (or country) and with any papers you like!

Supplies:

- 2 sheets of cardstock (one for the sunbursts, one for the background)

- 1 sheet of patterned paper

- 1 small scrap of paper for the heart

- a printer to print the map

- scissors or craft knife

- a pencil

- a ruler

- one pop dot

- a frame

1/ First, I found the outline of the state to California. The US50.com has printable outlines of all the states. I printed mine slightly smaller on printer paper so that it will fit into my matted frame (5x7), my map ended up being roughly 6.5x4 inches:

2/ Cut a heart (either by hand, with a punch or die-cutting machine) that will go where your city/home is then, with a pencil and a ruler, draw sunbursts starting from the heart. You might have to play a little with your design until you are happy with it:

3/ Cut out the whole state (I realize it will be easier for some state than others!):

4/ Then cut each individual sunburst (I was careful to put them back in their original order). Also notice that I didn't worry too much about the part under the heart as it will be covered by it in the end.

5/ Take each sunburst, one at a time, and temporarily glue them to the cardstock or the patterned paper (alternating them) in order to trace them and cut them (then discard the printer paper):

6/ Here they are, all cut out and placed back in their original spots on top of the cardstock I selected for my background:

7/ Glue them tightly close to each other to form the original map. Place the heart on a pop dot and adhere:

8/ Place in a frame and voila!

As always, if you give this tutorial a try and have any questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comment section. Have fun!

PS: I am linking this tutorial to Made by You Mondays on skiptomylou.org