I have a fun tutorial for you today to show you how to create faux stained glass using your Cuttlebug Machine and alcohol inks.  I was inspired to try this technique when I saw the Cuttlebug Summer Set of embossing folders and a friend of mine who creates real stained glass. This technique can be used with a lot of the embossing folders that are available and the design possibilities are endless with the use of different patterns and colors.  Here is my completed project hanging on the door in my scrappy room with the sunlight coming through!  Read on to learn what supplies you need and how to create this project yourself.


SUPPLIES:
Cuttlebug Machine and Embossing Folders of your choice
Alcohol Inks and Alcohol Blending Solution
Sharpie Permanent fine tip black marker
Plastic packaging from Cricut Cartridges or Embossing Folders
Small tip paint brush
Cricut Machine and your choice of a frame image
Black cardstock
Glossy Accents or Terrifically Tacky Tape

INSTRUCTIONS:
First you are going to begin with a piece of plastic packaging.  I used one piece from a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder set (these are larger) and a piece from a Cricut Cartridge.  Trim off the edges.


Sandwich the plastic inside the embossing folder.


Layer it on top of the C Plate and under two B Plates.


Run it through your Cuttlebug machine.


Here is the finished piece.


Now you will need the Sharpie and Alcohol Inks.  These are some of the colors I used.  The ones in the back are Red Pepper, Denim and Butterscotch.


Take the Sharpie and color in the debossed lines that form the outline of the images. I found that coloring small sections at a times works best.  If you try to color over a section that is partially dry you will notice that the marker will try to remove the ink.  If you missed a spot that you partially colored, wait until it is thoroughly dry and then go back and touch it up.


Another great tip that I did was to do all of these coloring and painting steps on a paper bag…like the ones you can get at the grocery store.  Another great way to recycle!


Next you are going to start coloring in the image using the alcohol inks.  Flip the plastic piece over from the side you colored in the outlines.  Now you are going to paint in the larger sections of the image that are debossed.  The black colored lines will act as walls to hold the ink in place until it drys. I added ink to my brush by tipping the bottle to the brush and then gently squeezed the bottle to add a drop or 2 of ink to the tip of the brush.  Do this to the side of your project to avoid any unwanted drips.


Then simply color in the sections as you like.  I colored all of one color at a time.  To get the mottled look, go back and add little touches of ink once your first layer of ink is dry.  You can also play with the Blending Solution as well.


Now that your piece is completed, you are ready to add a frame.


I created a frame using the Fancy Frames Cartridge and Cricut Craft Room.  I sized the inside of the frame so that it would slightly overlap the edge of my “stained glass” piece and I cut 2 of them.  You are going to sandwich your piece between the 2 frames so that it looks finished from both sides. Once they were cut out, I adhered one of them to one side the “stained glass”.  I tried 2 different methods.  One was using Terrifically Tacky Tape.  This was a bit difficult since the tape had to be cut in half length wise because the frame was so thin.   This is what is pictured above.  The other option is to use Ink Essentials Glossy Accents.  This was a bit easier with the thin edges on this particular frame.  Before you adhere the second frame, cut an 8 inch length of ribbon or cording to use to hang your piece and attach it to the corners of the frame using  the Glossy Accents.  The cording/ribbon is also sandwiched between the 2 frames. Now you can attach the second to the backside of your piece.


Your faux stained glass piece is now completed and ready to hang in a window and enjoy!



Here is a close up view of the other piece I created.



I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and project as much as I enjoyed creating them to share with you!

  

Maybe it is wishful thinking, but I feel like Spring is in the air! Something about having more daylight hours does that to me.  Now if the temperature outside would just cooperate, we could get there a little sooner!!! Until then however, I thought this project would help us all get in the mood for Spring. This is another project that I created when I was part of the Cricut Circle and today I am going to share with you how to make your own Spring wreath.  I even have a video on how I created the flowers!

All of the papers I used were printed on the Imagine using the Enjoy the Seasons Art Cartridge with the exception of the leaves which were printed using the Elise Colors and Patterns Cartridge. I printed the patterns onto white American Crafts cardstock. The base of the wreath is simple grape vine wreath from a local craft store.

The blue flowers were created using the larger Cuttlebug Chrysanthemum Quilling die.


All of the other flowers were created using a combination of flowers as noted in the instructions below.


Once I had cut and put all of the flowers together I hot glued them to the grapevine wreath.


The pink roses were given a light misting of Pink Bubblegum Glimmer Mist and then lightly inked with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink to give them a darker pink color.


I embossed the leaves using the Cuttlebug after I had cut them out and then lightly inked them with Peeled Paint Distress Ink.



SUPPLIES:
Imagine Cartridges: Elise Colors and Patterns Cartridge (leaves), Enjoy the Seasons Art Cartridge (flowers)
Cut Small Daisy Shape using the Accent Essentials Cartridge:
2.1" <Accnt24> + Shift x 18 from the yellow patterned paper