Good Luck Son by Chris W

Last year someone asked me if I had a card suitable to give their son who was going away to Uni' - I didn't. Since then I've had a couple of requests for cards to celebrate less usual occasions where friends or loved ones were moving on so I came up with this quick and easy format...
Level of difficulty: Easy
Materials needed:
1 8 x 8 scallop edged card
1 12 x 12 or 2 A4 pieces of dark blue card for base and valise
Scraps of coordinating blue textured card for handle and straps
Scraps of silver grey card for valise corners
1 sheet of blue patterned paper for the mat
1 scrap of coordinating paper for the word strip
Scraps of black card for strap struts on valise and for salutation
Different sized/coloured letters to spell UNIVERSITY
Appropriate words &/or phrases for valise
Scrap of manila or beige card for miniature tag on valise
Tim Holt distress ink 'Brushed corduroy'
Tim Holt distress ink 'Tumbled glass'
Claudine Hellmuth Studio medium - matte (or any clear drying non-glossy glue)
Viva Inka-gold metallic paint - silver
Short length of thin baker's twine
Double sided sticky tape
Foam pads
8 silver distressed brads
Sanding block or emery paper
Damp cloth for cleaning dust and ink away
Paper hanky
Tools needed:
Tim Holtz 'Vintage Valise' die
Alphabet die (any font of appropriate size will do)
Sizzix 'Big Shot' die cutting machine (or any other that will cut thick dies)
Scissors
Scalpel or cutting knife
Miniature tag punch/small paper punch
Japanese screw punch or paper piercer
Cutting mat
Inking sheet
Tim Holtz blending tool with sponge
Paper/card cutter
Fine water colour brush
Water
The measurements for the base and mat are relative to a scalloped card. If you are using a plain card you may want to increase the sizes of the base and mat accordingly.
You can change the salutation and occasion to whatever you want them to be.
Method:
The base
Place your 8 x 8 card to one side and make sure it cannot be marked or splashed by glue or ink etc. Cut your base square from the blue card 19cm x 19cm then cut your mat from the blue pattern paper 18.5cm x 18.5cm and stick carefully to the base with double sided tape ensuring an even border all around. Using your inking sheet as a base take your distress ink pad and blend tool and apply an uneven edge of colour lightly over all four edges of your base and mat. Build the cover gradually making it as uneven in pattern and depth of colour as you like. Place the base to one side and clean your inking sheet (and fingers if you need to).
Prepping the valise
Taking more of the blue card cut the main part of the valise using the die and cutting machine. Use the scraps of coordinating blue card to cut the straps and handle then the black scraps for the struts and the grey for the corners. Place the base of the valise on your inking sheet and edge with distress ink moving a little deeper in the corners. Remove the inking sheet from your cutting mat then take the sanding block and lightly scratch across various parts of the valise. Next take the textured card straps and handle and the corners and scratch them too. Wipe away the dust from your valise elements with the paper hanky and then remove all dust from your work surface. Using your inking mat again, ink over part of the scratched areas of all elements except the corners with your blending tool. Edge the valise straps and handle thinly. Moisten the Inka-gold silver paint with your water colour brush and create a reasonably thick consistency to paint the valise corners making good but patchy cover then leave to dry. Take your words and phrases and colour all over with the Tumbled Glass distress ink. When dry go over the edges with the Brushed Corduroy ink. Cut a tag shape from the scrap of manila card, ink the edges brown and write (or stamp) it with your choice of word. Lastly lightly ink over the dried corners patchily.
Making up the valise
Glue the handle to the top centre of the valise base then follow either side by the straps pushing them up against each side of the handle. Glue the struts over the straps and whilst they are drying carefully glue the corners into place. When the struts are dry pierce holes in the struts and add the brads securing them tightly at the back. If you feel you need to add further distressing ink do it at this stage. Finally add your tag by tying it around the handle and secure in place with a foam dot or glue and then glue your words and phrases over the valise.
Word strip
Lay your letters out vertically under each other and make sure the length will not exceed the length of your word base. Given that the base mat is 18.5cm square the height of your word strip should not exceed 18cm but can be a lot smaller if you're using a shorter word. Decide how much edge you want to border your letters - I've left 0.25cm around using the widest letter as my guide. Cut your letter base from the scrap of coordinating paper then lay your letters on top spacing them accurately BEFORE you glue them in place then glue them.
Bringing it all together
Cut your salutation (GOOD LUCK SON) from the remaining scraps of black card using your alphabet die. Take your 8 x 8 card and stick your base to it with double sided tape. Lay your finished valise, word strip and salutation down on the top and arrange them as you want them (you can choose whatever layout you prefer).  Once you've chosen the layout stick down the valise with foam pads then glue the remaining items into place.
Your card front is now ready. Finish with an insert of your choice.