I'm not a big fan of Valentine's day, but last week I did have a sudden and inexplicable urge to make a heart sculpture. It made sense, then, to make this and use it as a Valentine's Day gift. The wool comes from a sleeve of a felted sweater. (Thank you, The Gap, for creating all those sweaters that appeal for about a month and then end up in my local Good Will store.) To my own surprise I still have my college Human Anatomy and Physiology textbook (or not so surprising when you consider what else I have been schlepping around for the past 20 years) so was able to remind myself of the hookups for the various significant veins and arteries. I would like to be able to claim that it has four chambers and functioning valves, but I made it is less than an hour, so...no, it doesn't. If I make another, I do intend to include a cholesterol clogged artery on the exterior of the heart, portending certain doom. I considered doing that for this one but, since I made it to give to my 9 year old for a Valentine's Day present, that just didn't seem appropriate--especially since I have been taking meds for years in hopes of reducing my cholesterol.
And, just to give a sense of closure, here is how the moment of presentation went:
Me: Here is your valentine (holding out felty heart).
He: Where?
Me: Here, in my hand (waving it about, yarn blood flailing).
He: Where's the heart?
Me: (slightly peevish) This! This is what real hearts look like!
He: They do?!?!
Me: Hold on. (Stomping off to retrieve above mentioned medical text.) Here, look!
He: Oh.
Next day:
He: I want to see that heart picture again.
And, after spending a good 15 minutes comparing and contrasting the felty heart with the diagram, He: Can I take my valentine heart to "sharing time" at school?
Success!!
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