Stained Glass Butterflies

I hope you are having a restful holiday weekend. I so needed a bit of downtime. Yesterday I had the chance to go to a couple of stamp and craft stores. I didn't spend much money but it was good to just soak in all the samples and stuff! I came home inspired to stamp and here is what I did. It was near impossible for me to photograph this so I could show you all the details, it is so cool in person ( if I do say so myself!!) It is a variation on a stained glass technique using a piece of acetate.
The card base is naturals ivory and I ended up needing to stamp this stamp from the Artful Stamper 3 times for this one card. It is stamped twice in Timber Brown Stazon, once on the card and again on acetate. The card measures 5 1/4" square. I cut a piece of old olive 5" square and made a 3/4" frame. I temporarily tacked down the frame onto the card front and used my SAMJ to help me stamp it again onto the old olive with Versamark and then gold emboss it. (after I used my SAMJ I temporarily replaced the cut out center square so I didn't get ink on the card front). Once all three pieces were stamped I set out to add color. I used a water brush and ink to color in the leaves and parts of the butterflies on the card base. (old olive leaves, cool caribbean and lavender lace wings) What didn't photograph was the Stardust glitter pen I used to accent the stems and leaves. In person it really adds a nice touch, tying in the gold embossing with the image under the acetate. Then I used 3 different colors of Souffle pens to color on the backside of the acetate. The orange of the tails/antennae and the turquoise and purple accents on the wings are all Souffle pens. I also used a gold leafing pen on the front side of the acetate for the bodies of the butterflies. The acetate is adhered to the old olive frame and then the entire window is mounted with Scotch foam tape. There is also gold leafing pen on the edges of the old olive frame. I love the final look of the window and the butterflies but the card seems unfinished still. I will think on it for awhile. The side view gives you another look.

We signed up for a free trial membership at BJ's today and scored big!! I have been wanting a sewing machine for some time but didn't want to spend the money. They had one today that was being discontinued so it was marked half off already and since the display was the only one left I got it for even less, so in the end I got a $150.00 sewing machine for $60!! Now...I have no clue how to sew but I am willing to learn for that price. I think I will go re read Julia Stainton's tutorial on sewing on cards. Don't expect any samples for awhile, I don't even have thread yet but I am so excited! My mother visits from Germany in May and she has skill on a sewing machine, maybe I will wait for a hands on lesson from her.
I got plenty of other fun stuff in the mail this week, my Papertrey order came as well as some new Cuttlebug folders. It should be a fun week!
I wish you a blessed Easter!!