Getting Shirty (part 2)

Fathers day is just over two weeks away here in the UK and last week I featured a card with a men's shirt as the central motif and this week I want to show you a couple more variations on the same theme.

The dies I am using are all decorative strips designed by none other than Mr Tim Holtz and they are Bow/Tied and Vintage Lace one of my favourite and most used dies.

I started with a template which has the same measurements as in the previous blog with the exception of the creases in the top corners to create the wing collars

For this shirt I wanted a slightly more distressed look or tattered elegance as opposed to the crisp black and white of the last blog post. I was thinking more 1970's prom shirt so I started by gently inking around the edges of a rectangle of ivory card before scrunching the card after which I went over the creases and around the edges with an ink applicator to give added contrast.

I followed the measurements on the templates to cut and crease the collars before folding them in and securing them at the base of the collar with a tiny blob of hot glue. Next, I folded over the wing collars along the crease lines before cutting and scrunching two 5 x 15 cm strips of ivory card.

I die-cut the card strips using my Tattered Lace Decorative Strip die and chose the pieces I wanted to use before inking as before, concentrating on the edges and the creases. Once I had my lace ready I drew a pencil line down the centre of the shirt as a guide before mounting the lace strips using strong, narrow double-sided tape from the good folks at Stix2. Next, I cut a 15 mm wide strip of ivory card and used my pattern makers wheel to add rows of faux stitching along each edge.

I scrunched and inked the strip as before and applied it down the centre of the shirt. Next, I die-cut the bow tie from ivory card and coloured it with blue, green and purple Distress Inks on both sides before gently spritzing to blend the colours a little and splattering with water before drying with a heat tool to achieve a mottled effect.

I assembled the bow, added a few adhesive pearls down the centre in place of buttons and mounted onto a corrugated base card measuring 11 x 15 cm.

The word 'Geek' is an insult used to deride anyone of a bookish nature or with an seemingly unhealthy interest in their chosen hobby, which makes me a guitar geek I suppose! And who amongst you shares my burning passion for dies, embossing, paper, card, inks, acrylics, stamps etc..... That's right, we all have to feed our inner geek!

Lately, the word has been been adopted as a desirable epithet emblazoned across t/shirts, bags etc. Geek chic is all the rage and has given rise to Hipster culture which is also seeping down into the world of crafts in the form of beards, moustaches and big square glasses etc. (you can probably guess where the rest of this blog is going?)

I started by following the measurements of the template in last weeks blog to cut a 10 x 15 cm rectangle of check/plaid double sided card alongside a 2 cm wide strip before using my pattern makers wheel around the perimeter of both to leave rows of tiny holes which I joined with a fine black marker pen to give the impression of a stitched seam. Next, I used an ink applicator (Weathered Wood Distress Ink) around the edge to add a little definition.

I attached the strip down the centre and turned back the collars, securing at the top with a little hot glue before die-cutting and assembling an orange bow tie, I used the Inks to give the edge a little definition too.

I added a few mismatched buttons down the central strip (very geeky!!) and created the name badge using my PC before rounding off the corners and attaching to the shirt with a 3D foam pad. Finally, I mounted the shirt onto a brown base card measuring 11 x 15 cm.

I really had fun making these cards, I hope yo like them? Next week we will be looking at some fab 1950's themed dies which are perfect for Father's day or any masculine themed card, Can't wait!