STEAM PUNK FLOWERED BIRTHDAY CARD

This card took a bit of thought as to what i wanted to do. I had taken delivery of a GREAT stamp set along with a set of dies that l know will be used so often. The stamps are from a company called WHIMSY STAMPS.

They are some of the best TICKET style stamps that you would wish to find. They also come along with a set BOTTLE CAP stamps. Both are also available in a die which fit in perfectly. As you can see by the centre of the flower on the card it looks just like a bottle cap. A perfect embellishment.

All the stamps and dies are available from Thats Craftyhttp://thatsbloggingcrafty.blogspot.com/ [just click on the Capital letters to visit the store and the part where you can look at the items in question].

WHATS NEEDED:
1 A4 Size card blank [This can be made by yourself or one that has been bought] You could reduce to 8x8 inch but it would feel a little cramp, so this is a BIG Card project.
Whimsy Ticker Stamps of your choice. Along with the matching Cutting Die.
Whimsy Bottle Cap Stamp of your choice. Along with the matching Cutting Die
1 A4 print out of the provided paper that’s free to download from the ‘Thats Crafty’ Blog site.
Light brown paper to do the stamping tickets on
Small off cut of Gold Mirror Card.
Packing String. Pure Cotton bias ribbon
Large Darning Needle
Good Strong Wet Glue/ Good Strong Clear Glue
Stazon Ink [for the mirror card]
Brown Ink for the Ticket stamping.
Tea Dye, Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo Distressing Ink Pads. [you don’t have to work 100% with this just use what you have available or if you would like to add to your collection l can recommend these as a very good set that’s multi used]
Old Tea bags and Coffee grains
Normal crafty items ie Tape, Glue pens, Metal edged ruler etc.

HOW TO MAKE.

Once you have printed out the backing paper [Which is one of my own design’s made for this project so please read the angel policy on my blog site] Secure it on to your A4 Card front. Put to one side.

As the paper has already been given a edge treatment you don't have to worry about edging the card. Saying that if you wanted to take a dark brown Ink pad and run round the edge then that's the only edging you need to do.

Now then this is the getting messy bit. Its also a good part.

Put the kettle on and boil some water. Then in an old just put some of the water into that’s container. Don’t forget to place some in your fav tea or coffee mug/cup. Then add some tea bags. {now then if like me i placed my used tea bags into a little pot for the garden i just took 5 or 6 out and then placed into the mug. Followed by the Pure Cotton ribbon and String.

As its cotton it will take the tea die and then become re coloured. Leave this for an hour or so. Over night is very good. When your happy with the colour take out and place into a plastic tray or in an empty washing up bowl. DO NOT WRING DRY!!!!!

Now then while its still wet take a few grains of coffee and just sprinkle along the ribbon. The coffee will become wet and then soak into the ribbon giving it an deep brown flecking. After an hour pick up the ribbon and scrunch up in your hands and then squeeze as much water out as you can.

To dry place on some old tea cloths that your not to worried about and then iron dry.

Take the string and also squeeze dry and iron as is. You want the string to be creased and crumpled as its got to look old and used.

While your waiting for the ribbon and string to be dyed, you can do your cutting and printing.

Taking the brown paper and the Ticket Die l cut out 16 ticket blanks.

When i had finished die cutting they were all printed using all of the rubber stamps that i have in my collection.

Then taking a small piece of card i trimmed it to approx. 2” circle [you could use a punch but don't worry if you do not have one]. Then placing the circle on to a mat i started to build up the flower. This flower is built up in layers of 4 see diagram.



Just build up each layer with the wet glue making sure that you don’t over lay the ticket below [Petals].

When the flower has been layered place aside.

Now then this bit is a little tricky as your going to be stamping onto a shinny surface. StaZon is the best ink for this kind of stamping.

I can only give you the information as to how i do it. However there are lots of other ways that are out there in crafting land. Just experiment and see what’s best for you.

Tape the bit of Gold Mirror card sown onto a surface with easy lift tape. If you dont have easy lift take some masking tape and just remove some of the glue by quickly placing it onto some clothing [clean a jacket of fluff Perfect 2 jobs with 1 tape]

Then i use an anti static pad that’s available from ‘Thats Crafty’. I then stamp the mirror card with my chosen image. Try to stamp from above and try not to move side ways as mirror card will like all surfaces of that nature will slide if your not in a position to stamp from above.

Clean your stamps right away with a Stazon cleaner to protect the stamp and give longevity to them if your using this ink.

Then when the stamped card is dry using the Bottle cap die cut it out.

Now for the building up.

Secure your Cotton Ribbon onto the card. You want to cut the ribbon so that its flush with the card. Dont wrap round the card as if you do the next part will be very hard to do.

Unfold the card and then on the centre edge punch 5 holes using the width of the ribbon as the overall distance. Then pick up your string and thread it through the darning needle. Thread into the card from the front and pull through leaving 8inches on the front. Wrap round the front of the card and stitch through the next hole.

Continue till all holes have been used. Bring to the front centre and trim so that you have 8inches left on both ends of the string.

Bring to the centre and wrap the right end under the string. The left side is also brought under the string but from the base. carefully tie a knot and bring all the string into a bunch so that they look like they are ‘Fanning out’ from a centre point.

Secure and then measure to the base of the card and trim. You want to unwind the string so that it looks frayed.

Using a good strong clear glue place the Ticket Flower over the centre of the knot you can also place some glue to give support to the flower top and base. Place onto the card and leave flat to dry.

There you have it a card you can give to any Male member of the family.

As per normal any questions please ask and i will do my best to help out if i can.

Take care and happy crafting.

Alan