Bloomer Greeting Cards

One of Jane Beard's "bloomer" cards. Figure A Figure B Position the bloomer pieces on the stamped background, forming a complete circle. Two more bloomer pieces are needed here.

Materials:

Museum of Modern Rubber rubber stamps:
- Watermelon Bloomer J-723 (figure A)
- Plaid Texture F-735
- Ant Stamp A-734
Plastic Bloomer Template #S-935 (figure B)
8-1/2" x 11" of cardstock - one for each bloomer
stamp pad
markers
tape
glue stick
ruler
pencil
burnishing tool
hobby knife
scissors

Steps:

1. To make the card base cut the cardstock to 4" x 4" and mark a center dot on the card. Stamp the inside image of the bloomer on the card. Position template #1 over the card base and mark the two slots onto the card. The little dot on the stamp corresponds to the dot on the center of the card. Mask the bloomer image and stamp a background design onto the card. Cut out the two slots.
2. To make the bloomer mechanism, stamp the bloomer inside image on a small piece of cardstock. Line up template #2 over the image so the positioning dots line up. Score the three lines.
3. Position template #3 over the mechanism and mark the cut lines. Trim along this line and around the top contour edge of the mechanism.
4. Turn the mechanism over and stamp the outside of the bloomer image. Use the positioning dot to help line up the image.
5. Stamp two more bloomer insides onto the cardstock. Cut out the two pieces, trimming off the little point just above the dot.
6. Slide the mechanism tab into the two slots on the card. Push in until diagonal folds line up with the slots. Tape tab ends in place on the back side. Glue another piece of cardstock onto the back of the base to conceal card ends.
7. Apply glue to the front triangular segment of the right tab, and set one of the extra sections in place. Apply glue to the back triangular segment of the left tab and set the remaining section in place. The bloomer should make a complete circle. Gently fold up the bloomer.