To make flower

1. Cut five circles out of blue chart paper. Make the diameter of the first circle around 10cm and make each of the consequent circles slightly smaller than the other one before. Cut them with a pair of scissors but let them be rough around the edges.

Make some cuts on each circle from the edge. Make sure to make an even number of cuts as the space between two cuts will form a petal. Do not cut all the way to the centre.

2. Roll each edge of the petals around a toothpick and release. This will leave the edges curled up like real petals.

3. Take each circle individually and crumple it inwards. Release and straighten.

Paste the centre of the smallest circle to the centre of the second-smallest circle with glue and so on.

Once put together, it will look like a voluminous flower with layers of blooming petals.

To make base of card

4. Cut out white chart paper and fold as per size of a greeting card.

Cut out blue chart paper slightly smaller than the cover of the card and paste on the white cover. Make sure you paste it in the centre so a white outline is still visible.

Take a strip of ribbon (preferably blue to match the colour scheme) and paste it towards the bottom of the card.

Take a stamp of your choice (available with rubber stamp makers in College Street or online) and press it on the card. Alternatively you can paste a cut-out of a design you have painted.

The flower is the chief attraction of your card so stick it on a suitable spot. Add leaves (you can buy them at flower arrangement shops or paint and cut them out at home) for embellishment.

Here the word “Cherish” is printed using a rubber stamp. You can paint something else or use “letter-transfer” available at stationery shops.

Your card is ready.

1. Get a 12 inch x 12 inch canvas from an art and craft shop. Tear pieces of old newspapers, place on the canvas and use a brush to smear Modge Podge on it. Modge Podge is available at art shops. You can also make it at home by mixing equal portions of water and white glue (Fevicol). Make sure there are no air bubbles under the papers. Dry it for two minutes.

Use a brush to cover the canvas with Gesso. This primer-and-adhesive mixture is also available at art shops. The canvas will now turn white and this will highlight the effects later on.

2. Now you may embellish the canvas in any way you please. Bring out old Christmas decorations and stick the bells, recycle potpourri or use flowers and ferns from old artificial flower bouquets at home. In this piece, a portion of an old toran (cloth decorations on the top of doors) has been stuck on the bottom and cut-outs of butterflies have been used. Chords, picked up from a hardware store, have been used to create circular discs. Use the decoration to surround the area where you will stick the photo.

3. Apply another layer of Gesso on everything once you’re done with decorations. Then you must spray paint on it. Get a spray bottle from an art shop and fill it up with water. Add two drops of acrylic paint and spray over the canvas. Here pink has been used.

Once the canvas has dried up, stick a photograph on the enclosed space and your photo frame is ready.

Brinda Sarkar