Valentine’s DIY Map Hearts and My Irish Ancestry

January 23, 2013


Did you know that nearly all of my ancestors are Irish? They emigrated several generations ago from the west of Ireland. When I was in high school, we took a family trip and drove around to see all the villages where both sides of my family came from. It was fascinating to see how close my father’s and mother’s ancestors were to each other, but, so far as we know, they never met. In those days, a few miles over the hills and mountains was a long journey they may never have taken.

My father’s family emigrated to Chicago, where they helped build the city’s subway system, and where my father was later born. And my mother’s family ended up in Boston, where her father’s family worked in the textile mills.

Years later, my dad’s family moved east to Rhode Island, and my parents met when they both went to Colby (just like Michael and me!). They married and settled just down the road from Colby in our little China Village house and they’re still there!

Now here’s the funny part. Michael’s parents are from Chicago. They were high school sweethearts – his father grew up in Chicago and moved a few hours south when he was in high school. His mother grew up on a farm in that same town south of Chicago. They met, were married, and had Michael just after Michael’s father moved to Ireland to play basketball. Six weeks after Michael was born, he and his mom joined his father in Dublin. More than thirty years later, they’re still here!

Fast forward to Michael and me in college. Specifically that little Colby College in central Maine. That same one where my parents met more than thirty years ago. Michael was recruited for basketball, I wasn’t ready to go too far away from home, and by our second senior year (another long story for another time) we were dating. We graduated, got married and moved to Ireland and we’re, of course, still here!

That was a fairly complicated way of saying I love this project because it reminds me of all the criss-crossing around the globe my family and Michael’s family had to do in order for us to meet and end up here in Dublin. Complicated, but neat.

And now, here’s how you can make your own.

This little map art was beyond simple to make (you know those are my favorites, right?). Here’s what you need: Scissors, glue stick, a frame with a piece of card slotted inside, maps that mean the world to you, and three printed little words – you, me, and us.

Cut out your heart shape that you’ll use to ensure you have three identical map hearts.

Place it over your special cities and trace. Cut out your hearts and glue them on the card. I eye-balled their placement, but you could use a ruler to make sure they’re spaced out correctly. Glue your words below the correct hearts and you’re all done!

If you don’t have old maps lying around, you can search for map images online and print those out. Just keep in mind that you’ll want the three maps to have similar coloring so they look nice together.

There you go, the story of how three places mean so much to me, and how I get to see them in my house every day!

22 Comments

  • Reply Meg January 23, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    This is just the cutest!!!

    • Reply emily January 24, 2013 at 8:58 am

      Thanks, Meg! Your blog is so cute!

  • Reply Vanessa January 23, 2013 at 10:51 pm

    loved reading your family’s story, Emily! so cool… and such a darling project.

    • Reply emily January 24, 2013 at 8:58 am

      Thanks, Vanessa 🙂

  • Reply Gerry January 24, 2013 at 1:16 am

    Thanks for the story and the project, Emily. Very nice, as always.

  • Reply Alix January 24, 2013 at 6:44 pm

    This is so cute! Another new project that I need to try!

    • Reply emily January 24, 2013 at 10:34 pm

      Thanks, Alix!

  • Reply Nathalie January 29, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    This is ADORABLE. A really sweet (and easy!) tutorial.

  • Reply Hi inspiratie | 13 x atlasprint diy « hi gorgeous July 31, 2013 at 7:26 am

    […] 6 | Fotolijstje. Omdat fotolijstjes gewoon altijd leuk zijn! […]

  • Reply 10 Ingenious And Original Ways Of Using Maps In DIY Projects September 16, 2013 at 9:28 am

    […] If your partner is of a different origin then you can use this great project for Valentine’s Day. Cut out three hearts out of maps, each representing the places of origin for you, your partner and you as a couple.{found on fromchinavillage}. […]

  • Reply Polka Kilo September 17, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    Idea with map harts is just deadly I’m gonna to this same

  • Reply Highlights of 2013 / DIY Projects | From China Village January 2, 2014 at 5:32 pm

    […] little Valentine’s Day DIY – map hearts with a bonus story about my Irish […]

  • Reply 96 Valentine DIY projects, printables and baking | Rilane - We Aspire to Inspire February 5, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    […] KIT | 44.A valentine’s DIY: cute heart shaped ring 45.DIY // CUTE AS A BUTTON VALENTINE | 46.Valentine’s DIY Map Hearts and My Irish Ancestry 47.Valentine’s DIY – U are my Rock | 48.Valentine’s DIY 49.DIY LOVE BANNERS IN PINK OMBRÉ […]

  • Reply Kim B. April 10, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    The DIY is so cute, but the story of meeting your husband at the same college where your parents met — and that his family moved to Ireland, where your ancestors are from . . . That’s just super cool!!

    • Reply emily April 10, 2014 at 10:03 pm

      Thanks so much, Kim! 🙂 IT is a pretty wild story that none of us saw coming!

  • Reply zrobsama.pl » 10 pomys?ów na wykorzystanie MAP September 3, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    […] (?ród?o From China Village) […]

  • Reply What to Do After You Get Engaged - APB Entertainment December 16, 2015 at 5:01 pm

    […] Photo Credit: From China Village […]

  • Reply Inspirational Map Crafts for Creative Travellers July 19, 2018 at 6:02 pm

    […] map heart artwork is perfect for celebrating where you come from or creating a personalised gift for someone […]

  • Reply 9 DIY Projects to Repurpose an Old Map - GODIYGO.COM August 10, 2018 at 5:27 pm

    […] source […]

  • Reply 36 coole DIYs mit Karten zu machen 2020 - Bastel Ideen 2020 August 7, 2019 at 4:46 pm

    […] fromchinavillage […]

  • Reply 10 Ways to Upcycle Maps to be Amazing | How To Build It October 25, 2019 at 5:09 pm

    […] think the places that mean the most to me are meaningful because of the people that were there. Emily gives a tutorial for using maps as Valentines, memorializing shared memories in a classic […]

  • Reply 9 Travel-Inspired Craft Ideas (for Adults) February 18, 2021 at 11:13 pm

    […] map heart artwork is perfect for celebrating where you come from or creating a personalised gift for someone […]

  • Leave a Reply