DIY 1920s Dancing Flapper Wedding Favors

Most people, when they think of the 1920s, think of the Roaring 20s and dancing flappers. What better way to showcase a 1920s themed wedding than a commemorative place card featuring a dancing flapper on the front?

You will need a rubber carving block and carving tool, a stamp pad in one of the colors from your wedding, enough 1-2 inch feathers, card stock for every place card you need to make, transparent tape, and a good printer for making the rubber stamp and for writing the names in the corner of the cards. If you wish, the names can be hand-written with a calligraphy set. If you like, you may use glue to affix tiny "seed" beads, glitter, sequins, ribbon or other items to add sparkle to the flapper dress and headband. This will be much more time consuming, but will create a more beautiful finished product. Please do exercise moderation when applying sparkly bits. You are looking for an elegant shimmer, not a gaudy "bling" effect. Pearlescent stamping medium will also work well for this and might be less work, if you apply it directly with the same stamp as the dress.

If you can draw, freehand a stylized flapper dress and headband that appear to be in motion. If not, just find a suitable picture to print off and carve from. A photograph will work, but clip art will probably mean less work to get it stylized for carving on the block. You want a dress that is relatively simple, with clean, fluid lines, and a simple headband, with no accoutrements, as you will be adding the feather for this. Print out, or draw, then tape the picture to the carving block. Carve down every part of the block that is not covered by dress or headband, then go back and cut out any detailing, like folds of the skirt or beading. You also can cut tiny diamond shapes across the headband, if you like.

Remove the paper and dip your new stamp onto the ink pad, coating it well. Apply it carefully to the front of each folded card, dipping in the ink again as necessary. Using your carving tool, cut a tiny incision into the left or right side of the headband, just below the top. Slide the quill end of a feather into each of these cuts and secure with tape on the opposite side of the paper.