Heartfelt Creations Luminary

Today I have another project created using Heartfelt Creations stamps and die.  Have you started working on your project for Joan's Gardens challenge this week.  Wouldn't you be excited to win that grand prize of Heartfelt Creations stamps!  Also, don't forget to comment on each of the blogs in the Joan's Gardens Blog Hop for three additional chances to win a great prize.

Lots of cards were posted in the Blog Hop  using Heartfelt Creations stamps so I created another different project to give you more inspiration.  It is a luminary.  My friend Geri  created a beautiful luminary earlier this year and she has me hooked on making them.  Here is the link to Geri's blog so you can see her beautiful luminary.  If you look on my sidebar, you will see a link to another luminary I made.   Today my luminary is a little larger than the other ones.  I wanted to use the new Heartfelt Creations Window/Frame Die so this luminary is 4.5 inches square.  I cut two pieces of  white vellum card stock,  purchased from Joan's Gardens,  9 1/4 inches by 5 1/2 inches.  Each piece was scored at 4 1/2 and 9 inches.  This left me with a 1/4 inch edge to attach the two pieces together to create my luminary.  

Each of the sides were embossed using the Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder.  The top edge was punched using the Martha Stewart "Swirling Lace" punch.  Next I cut out the burgundy Heartfelt frame.  It was placed in the center of one of the sides and I traced around the inside edge with a pencil.  Scissors were used to cut this section out -- you need to cut outside the line about 1/4" so it will attach to the back of the frame. 

The Cardinal is one of the three in the Heartfelt Creations "HCPC 3348 Cardinal Pine Cone Border PreCut set". It was stamped with Vivid black ink and clear embossed, then colored on the back of the vellum with markers. This gives a stained glass look.  I again laid the window on top of the stamped image and traced around the inside edges leaving a little border so I could attach it to the back of the frame.  The reason I stamped the cardinal on a separate piece of vellum is because the stamp used is long and has three cardinals on the border and I only had room for one.  This way I could easily cut the part of the border off I couldn't use.  The border was then attached over the opening cut in the luminary.   A battery operated candle was placed inside.  Never use a real candle in a paper luminary - they could catch on fire so easy. 

It is kind of hard to take a picture of a luminary during the day so I have two pictures above for you.  One has a black board behind it so you can see the light inside.  The second picture is taken with the light behind it.  It looks pretty either way. 

Hope I gave you a little more inspiration and you create a project for Joan's Gardens challenge this week.  I'd love to see you win that $286 Grand Prize donated by Heartfelt Creations.  Also, don't forget to check out all the blogs on the Hop and leave a comment so you have a chance to win one of the great prizes from Joan's Gardens.  You don't have to enter a card to be eligible to win one of these three prizes.    You can check out all the details here.