FLOWERS IN A SHOWCASE BOX

This card was made by using a stamp set from a new stamp range from ANDY SKINNER called RETRO and is available from THATS CRAFTY ONLINE STORE.

When this stamp set was given to me to make samples from l have to be honest l was in that state of ‘WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?’, l picked them up took them out of the packaging and played around with the images and just stamping to see what the printed image was like. I cut the images out and put them away with the stamps and placed them back into my storage.

I was flicking through an old book l have with some Victorian interiors. I say something that just clicked into place and l raced back to my stamp collection and pulled this stamp range out. By placing the large circular image out l was going to build up a vase of flowers, but it was to large. But this had put me on the creative path that the  resulting card was born.

SHOPPING LIST:
Set of Andy Skinner_Retro_stamps set –A4 Card base made up – Blue_Yellow_Red_Buff and Green Card – A4 Backing Paper – Vintage Photo Distressing Ink – Memento Tuxedo Black Ink – Buttons and Ribbon – Embossing Folder of your choice – Small Brads [l used 7 per flower head] - 3 Large circle brads – 3 Glossy Accents beads [[just big enough to fit into the centre of the Circle Brad] – Foam Pads – Ticket Die Cutting Label -  Standard tools from a crafters Tool Box ie Scissors_Heat Gun_Glue Guns

LETS MAKE A CARD!:
I have a electronic die cutting machine so this helped me in the construction of this card. the flower head is 3half inches wide. So l cut out using the machine one in each colour and then over stamped with the large circle stamp. Then using an Embossing folder l ran the folder through the Cuttlebug.

The flower stem was one of the standard flower stems that was available from the ‘Free Images included when l bought the machine’ Then picking up the FISH advert l just inked up the fish segment and over stamped the leaf section first then down the flower stem.

The next  step was to make the Boxes for the flowers. By using a Labels metal die l cut out the nearest size to the ticket stamp.

There l had stamped out all the components. All l had to do is taking each image and using the Vintage Photo ink l distressed and inked up to give that Old Shabby look.

The backing paper was one that l had that was Black and White. Then l did the worst thing l could…….
I crumpled up the paper and threw it into a empty clean bin. [get the picture lol?] I picked it up and then flattened it the best l could. Securing it into place using a wet glue onto my made up card base.

Then when it was safe to handle l took the Vintage Photo Ink and ran it over the face of the card. The creased ridges of the card then picked up the colour. The final act to the card base was to using the Vintage Photo ink the edges .

The ribbon that l had was a cream thin crafting one. So once again l put some of the Vintage Photo Ink on to a craft mat and then changed the colour of the ribbon. I wanted it to stay creased and old so l used a heat gun and a high heat making sure that the ribbon did not dry flat.

Taking each of the flower heads finding a centre point l secured into place the large Circle Brad. The centre was covered by a large Plastic bead that comes in a pack. The 7 small brads were just secured at random points.

I picked the yellow Flower to be in the front so l placed some dimensional tape on the back of the flower head/stem and box.

Securing the blue flower followed by the red one gave me the area that was left to place the yellow flower.
The ribbon was secured at one end and over the flower box, then under the middle box and finally over the far end box. there was some ribbon left over after cutting l just cut it in half and then tied a knot in the center of each box.

As the rule of 3’s always comes into play a button covered each end of the ribbon and a smaller button was secured in the middle.

There you have it a Modern Retro Flower Card.

Any questions please send me a message and l will do my best to reply a.s.a.p.