Gingerbread Men Red Gingham Bunting

Iris is mad about gingerbread men so I promised her I that I would cut some out for her on my Big Shot (now sadly deceased, but that’s a story for another day).

I have to say that, for me, the Originals Red Sizzix Gingerbread Man has to be the best designed gingerbread man die. It could only be bettered, perhaps, if the hearts were an optional feature. I paid rather a lot for it via an eBay auction, but it had been retired for quite a few years by then and it was something I really, really wanted.  There are a lot of gingerbread man dies out there, but I can’t be doing with the curly, boat shaped feet, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, while I was cutting, I thought I would try to make Madam some bunting for her bedroom for her birthday.I decided that twelve gingerbread men would make quite a generous length for her longest wall.  After cutting out I outlined the edges with a white gel pen, and put a scrap of red paper behind the cu out hearts.

Each individual panel measures 4ins x 5.5ins.  I layered red gingham onto plain red card and edged both layers with faux stitching using a black fine liner pen.  I then added the gingerbread men, giving them a red bow and two tiny domed, black circle stickers for the eyes.

The final touches were made by using the hearts that were left over from the cutting out and groups of three dots scattered here and there, again in white gel pen and black fine liner.

I used a tacky PVA glue to stick the panels on to a length of white ribbon at intervals of 7cms, holding the edges together with pegs until the bunting was completely dry.

I am really chuffed with how this bunting has turned out, it’s only something I have recently tried making and have really enjoyed it  ………  I now await Madam’s approval!!!