Cupid's Wing Pull Tab Card

. 

Eight pop can pull tabs lend a steam punk feel, 

laced in place on heart overlay, 

atop Cupid wing base shape, 

two layered loopy fringe arcs. 

Opposite, two cog wheels with arrow 

(3D fletching shape plus heart point overlay) 

provide visual balance. 

(Shown here with extra "found" embellishments.)

Measures approx. 7.75" wide x 6.75" wide.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A card front base      B card back base
C inside sentiment label
D card front accent (with lacing holes)
E wing/scroll base with individual feathers
F tall loop accent
G short loop accent
H scroll overlay
I large gear (3-4 layers)
J large gear stem circles (3)
K small gear (3-4 layers)
L large gear stem circles (7-11)
M arrow assembly (base 3 layers, heart tip,
fletching halves, fletching 3D)

Additional back shapes (top to bottom)

heart overlay

banner front

banner base

2. Prepare the wing shape (if using individual

feather shapes) by overlaying each feather

on matching base extension, taking care to

match up lacing punch holes

(here and throughout assembly where

layered shapes include the punches).

3. Position and attach the "ring" portion of the

tall loop accent to the wing assembly, then . . .

. . . position and attach the "ring" portion of the
short loop accent.

4. Position and attach the wing assembly

over the card front accent panel

so that overlapping surfaces of wing

and heart panel attach . . .

. . . taking care to match up the lacing punches
so that holes remain open.

5. Position and attach scroll shape over

the matching portion of the wing assembly.

6. Position and glue the pop can pull tabs

over the wing/loops assembly so that the

lacing punch holes are visible at the edges

of the inner openings.

(A quick-grab adhesive, such as the

Fabri-Tac glue shown here is recommended.

NOTE: aluminum tabs for this project

were dipped into dark wood stain,

allowed to dry, then sprayed front and back

with clear satin acrylic spray to protect coloring.)

This image shows in more detail

the positioning of the punch holes

around tab openings.

7. Prepare to lace the tab in place by cutting

a 27" twine or 6-ply floss onto a blunt tapestry

style needle. Begin by taping the end near

the top holes as shown.

8. Insert the anchored twine through the first

lower hole, and push through to the front.

Draw twine all the way through.

9. Insert needle in the hole across the tab
structure, push needle through, and draw twine
through to back completely.

10. More upward to insert the needle through
the outer hole, and draw through to front completely.
Insert needle in the next paired hole so that the
twine crosses the tab structure, and pull completely
through to the back.

11. Insert the needle and twine up through the next 
adjacent hole, then down through the paired
hole so that the twine will wrap over the two
tab structures. This is the lacing stitch that
will be repeated to wrap and secure adjacent
pairs of tabs, until all are laced in place.

12. Continue the lacing process until all tabs
are laced in place. At the final lower tab,
the twine "stitches" will wrap over the structure
of just the single tab, as shown in the first steps
of the lacing, steps 9 & 10.

13. Finish the last stitch with the needle and twine

drawn to the backside of the accent shape.

Trim the excess leaving approx. 1" tail, then . . .

. . . tape in place to secure.

14. Layer gears - large . . .

. . . and small - taking care

that all edges line up as precisely as possible,

and glue together. HINT: use heavy flat weights

to help keep the layered assemblies flat and

avoid curling or warping as glue dries.

Also layer and glue the multiple stem circles 

for each gear.

15. Position each stem on the backside of 

their respective gears (tallest stem on small gear)

with center openings aligned precisely,

and glue in place.

16. Add brads or mini studs to gears as desired,
then position and attach in place with brads
onto the card accent front assembly.

17. Position and attach the accent front over

the card front base with even offset at edges.

18. Prepare the dimensional fletching shape

by bending forward at perforation.

19. Layer and glue together the 3 arrow base shapes

to reinforce it and give it some dimension.

Position and attach the heart tip, half fletch

shapes over the arrow base. 

20. Position and glue just the fold edge of

the dimensional fletching in the space

between the half fletch shapes.

21. Position and attach the shaft of the arrow

as desired.

22. Position and attach the optional

interior sentiment label on the

inside (backside) of the back card base,

centered above bottom tip and below

fold perforation line.

23. Assemble the optional back banner shape by 

layering the top banner shape over the base, with

heart on top with holes aligned.

Add a decorative mini brad.

24. Position and attach the banner assembly
on the face side of the back card.

25. Position the upper "lobes" portion of

the back card over the corresponding portion

of the front card base on the backside,

and attach in place.

26. Prepare the optional back ribbon hanger shape

by bending back on center perforation line,

forward on outer perforation lines.

27. Glue the center portions together, then . . .

. . . position the center cut mark of the "top"

flange below the valley of the card back,

then adjust up/down to center between the

valley edge and the perforation line,

and glue flanges in place securely.

Attach a 20-24" length of ribbon to the hanger.

Here is the basic completed card.

If desired, add additional embellishments.
Shown here are two more gears, plus
a small key with ribbon tails.