Love One Another (Because We Are One): Show Your Love for the World with Paper Hearts
Show how much you love the world—and everyone in it—by upcycling a Goodwill-found world globe with happy paper hearts. This colorful, creative DIY makes a meaningful Valentine’s Day gift for that special someone who truly means the world to you.
Easy to create, perfect for kids of all ages, and kind to Mother Earth, this project is a win from every angle. It’s heartfelt, planet-friendly, and guaranteed to put a little more love into your orbit. What’s not to love?
Here’s how to make your world shine:
1. Find a world of good deals at Goodwill
Want to make your world a brighter place? Start by making a trip to your nearby Goodwill nonprofit retail store part of your regular adventures. Up and down every aisle and hanging on every rack are interesting items at truly remarkable prices.
When you shop at Goodwill, you’re doing good for the planet by supporting sustainability and keeping usable items out of landfills. That’s what we call good karma—on a global scale.
As a talented thrifter (if I do say so myself!), there are certain things I always buy when I see them waiting for me at Goodwill. Globes are one of them. They’re timeless (even if a few place names have changed), endlessly versatile, and universally appealing. You can spin them, study them, and—best of all—transform them into something entirely new.
2. Sort through your creative collection
Do you have a box, bin, or basket filled with paper scraps from past arts and crafts projects? If not, keep an eye out for one while you’re treasure-hunting at Goodwill.
Most creative types have at least one stash filled with old magazines, out-of-date calendars, greeting cards, sheet music, wrapping paper, craft paper, and other paper odds and ends. For this project, look for colorful patterns and textures to help your globe really pop.
Goodwill often has a section dedicated to office supplies and art materials, so you may find plenty of paper possibilities there, too. And don’t forget—we also host Art Supply Swap events where creativity truly goes around the world.
Details will be announced soon for our next swap, held in partnership with Finding Your Good and Tim Kime Art. Stay tuned!
3. Cut out happy hearts
This step is pure joy—especially when little artists lend a hand. Cut hearts from your various paper sources, making several from each pattern so you can spread the love far and wide (around the globe, that is).
You’re not aiming for perfection or uniformity here. Variety is part of the charm! Have fun with it. Cut most of your hearts on the smaller side so you’ll have lots of options when covering your spherical surface.
Expert Tip:
Because globes are curved and rounded, lighter-weight paper is best suited. Magazine pages, sheet music, and craft paper are excellent choices.
Anything too thick—such as cards, folders, or calendar pages—can be tricky to adhere to smoothly.
On the flip side, super-thin materials like cocktail or party napkins tend not to hold up well once glued. Think of yourself as DIY Goldilocks: not too thick, not too thin—just right.
4. Brush on, spin around
Now it’s time to bring it all together. Grab some school glue, craft glue, or classic Elmer’s glue, along with a small paintbrush.
Apply a light layer of glue to the back of each heart, place it on the globe, then brush a thin layer of glue over the top. Use your brush—or your finger—to gently smooth out bubbles or wrinkles so each heart sticks nicely.
For a balanced, rhythmic look, distribute hearts of the same color or paper type throughout the globe. Place some on continents, others in the oceans. Overlap a few hearts here and there to create connection and flow.
As you work, spin your globe to make sure love appears everywhere—from top to bottom, coast to coast, pole to pole. After everything dries, you may want to do one final glue pass to secure any edges that lift. Smooth sailing from there!
5. Show off your world-class DIY talents
Your colorful, heart-covered globe will be a cheerful, eye-catching addition to any room. Display it on a coffee or accent table alongside other happy Goodwill finds, such as books, trays, paperweights, or decorative objects.
Place it in a child’s room with stuffed animals, action figures, or game boxes—many of which can also be found for just a dollar or two at Goodwill. Add whimsy to a hallway nook, charm to a bathroom corner on a plant stand, or a surprise pop of joy atop your refrigerator. Wherever it lands, it’s sure to be out of this world.
While this globe makes a thoughtful Valentine’s Day, birthday, or anniversary gift, its universal message and charming appeal mean it deserves a place on display all year long. After all, love isn’t seasonal—and neither is creativity.
Spread love. Share joy. And remember: when we take care of our planet, we’re all on the same team—one world, one heart at a time.
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Tim Kime
Artist, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach
