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The weekend is here. When the week has been especially trying, it can feel as if your inner child is a little battered.
Or maybe, the inner child is still whole, but its protective nook inside the heart sustained some damage, the glass window shattered.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-100633.jpg?resize=692%2C519)
To be honest, my inner child feels great, but I just liked the concept of this art piece.
To make it, I began with the Little Heart Niche, which as you can see, includes a handy hanger for the back.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-214429.jpg?resize=620%2C481)
I adhered the pieces to the backside of a sheet of scrapbook paper and fussy cut the paper to match the chipboard.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-214800.jpg?resize=692%2C418)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-224654.jpg?resize=595%2C530)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-230142.jpg?resize=659%2C547)
I then reinforced the corners of the niche with some tape–just to give it some extra strength–and glued the niche onto the heart.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-230153.jpg?resize=649%2C631)
Next, I applied Distress Grit Paste, pressed heart stamps into the paste and dried with a heat gun. I darkened the edges of the heart with black ink and then sprayed everything with purple and black ink sprays. After the ink dried, I applied embossing ink, sprinkled Rocky Road Baked Texture onto the surface and activated with heat gun.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-100714.jpg?resize=692%2C519)
I cut a frame from chipboard, applied embossing ink and covered it with Rocky Road Baked Texture and activated with heat gun. I used the same technique on a heart paperclip.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-001709.jpg?resize=692%2C502)
While the frame and paper clip cooled (be very careful when heating any metal with a heat gun!), I glued thin sheets of broken mica over the top of the niche.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-001631.jpg?resize=659%2C878)
I then shredded and inked some cheese cloth, sprayed a small figurine candle with distress ink and adhered these inside the niche.
After gluing the paper clip and frame in place, I printed, cut out and inked the edges of my words and adhered them to the heart.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-100750.jpg?resize=631%2C627)
Thanks for stopping by to check out the tutorial. I hope you have a lovely weekend. If it is even a little bit as cold as it is here in Minnesota, I hope it gives you an excuse to stay inside and create art all weekend long!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.betsyskagen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Inner-Child-by-Betsy-Skagen-100536.jpg?resize=659%2C728)
Great Stuff
- Little Heart Niche
- Dress My Craft scrapbook paper
- Distress Grit Paste
- Heart stamps
- Beacon Fabri-Tac
- Spray inks
- Distress Black Soot ink pad
- Distress Vintage Photo ink pad
- Seth Apter’s Rocky Road Baked Texture
- Embossing ink
- Grit paste
- Chipboard
- Paper clip
- Mica sheet
- Cheese cloth