Stained Glass Window Card with Amazing Paper Grace

A few years ago, I had a chance to visit La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.  I will forever remember the emotional and spiritual experience the colors of the windows had on me!  So, today I am sharing a card inspired with those windows using Amazing Paper Graces Heart Melange Dies, Anna Griffin Chameleon Markers and a Cricut File to help separate the colors.  The sentiments are also Anna Griffin!  

When I colored this window, I used the lightest shades at the outside of the window, and the more intense colors inside.  I use the Amazing Paper Grace Softly Spoken Die for the portion under the window.  It was a bit too small for my card, so I sliced it in half and just allowed a bit of space between the two halves.  You will notice the Cricut File has two circles for coloring.  I like to have one for practice when I try a new window with so many colors.

Miniature Wedding Dress with Amazing paper Grace

Perhaps it's my fashion design background, but I have always had a fondness for 3 D paper dresses in miniature.  I have attempted a few, but I think this one is my best and I owe it all to Becca at Amazing Paper Grace for making these dies.  Once I received them I saw that the Heart Melange die looked very much like a bodice piece for a princess line dress!  Since all the dies in this collection make a circle when joined, I knew I could also use them for the skirt. For the skirt I chose the Timeless Grace Die.

Want to make your own Amazing Paper Grace lace dress?  Here is how:

Supplies:
Plastic Dress form (Amazon)
Amazing Paper Grace Heart Melange Die
Amazing Paper Grace Timeless Grace Die

Anna Griffin Scoring Wheel Tricks Cricut  Cartridge (optional)

White Card Stock

Quick Drying glue

Glue gun (I like low temp)

Glue Gun stick

White ribbon 1/4"

Instructions:
Construct the Bodice:

Cut the skirt lace with the APG Timeless Grace die.  I cut two layers of card stock at a time, to make this a quick process.  Check out Becca's video on folding and gluing, you will be combining the motifs in the same manner as Becca did, just using the numbers you want for the fullness of you skirt. 

1. Cut one APG Heart Melange Die for the front bodice in white card stock.  Create the solid bodice lining for the front by placing the APG Heart Melange Die on white paper and tracing the outside of the die.  Trim traced image with hand scissors. Add small pieces to cover the die splices (usually used for combining as directed for a floral motif) as show above.
2. Cut one APG Timeless Grace Die for the Back Bodice in white card stock.Create the solid bodice lining for the back by placing the Timeless Grace cut die on back of the dress form and cutting off the bottom point so that the bodice stops at dress form waist. 
3. 
   
   
   Glue the back Bodice lining on the Dress form using a low temp glue gun.

   
4. Glue the Front bodice onto the dress form, overlapping the back bodice, and glue with liquid glue.  I chose to leave a cut out in the side of my bodice as I know this is a current fashion trend.
   
5.  Cut the skirt using Anna's Scoring Wheel Trick's Drapery Fold #M64DFDF8 Cricut Image at 11 1/2" Scale.  Do NOT use the Scoring wheel lines, I detached them and then cut the image.  Wrap around the dress form and decide how full you want skirt.  Trim the circle as needed.  My skirt looked like this after trimming.  If you use the same dress form and scale I did, you will NOT trim anything away from the center circle as this fits the dress form well.  If you don't have this cartridge, just cut your own circle 11 1/2" or 12", cut a straight line to the center and cut a small circle with a 1 1/4" in the middle.  Wrap around the dress form and decide how full you want your skirt.
   
   
   
6. Cut 7 motifs for the first layer if your skirt is like mine.  You could stop here, and still have a beautiful dress with just a peplum and bodice of lace.
   
7. Glue the first layer, and then Cover the waist with some 1/4" white ribbon gluing the raw edge underneath using the glue gun.  This will hide any gaps at the waist.  Gluing the waistband at this time will prevent the lace from being crushed in the second and third layers.
8. I cut three layers, for the second layer use 13 die motifs and 26 motifs in the third layer.  The use of more motifs, gives the skirt the flared and ruffled effect.  I love this because it looks as if the dress form is twirling and dancing!  Below you can see the dress with just one layer of the dies.  It also looks beautiful this way too!