Paper Evening Dress by Clare Dempsey

The paper dresses at the Craft and Hobby Association show this last summer were the talk of the show. They were made by a paper vendor called Die Cuts With a View. You can find pictures at their blog HERE (http://dcwvinc.blogspot.com/2011/01/cha-day-1-continued.html). You can get his look on a small scale with your paper and Art Glitter. I used a dress form that is actually a children’s toy by Ban Dai, called Harumika Style Your Imagination. You can also find small scale dress forms at most craft stores.

To make the dress, I chose my paper and paper punches. I used a Martha Stewart Border punch for the white piece at the top of the bodice and embellished it using my Art Glitter Ultra Fine tip, and Varsity Blue 185 Ultrafine Pearlescent glitter. I crimped my Bo Bunny Green paper and placed it behind my white border. I made paper darts in the white and green card stock where you would find darts in an actual dress. I embossed my blue cardstock and cut it to fit my dress form. I glued all of the bodice in place with a low temp hot glue gun. It is best to fit the curviest portion first when making your paper dress, so you do not flatten your skirt.


I cut and dry fit my skirt on the bottom of the dress form, but did NOT glue it. I used my Inkadinkadoo stamps with my glue pad to stamp the skirt. This glue pad, is like a stamp pad, with glue instead of ink and you should be able to find one at your local craft store. After I covered this with the Varsity Blue 185 Ultrafine Pearlescent glitter, I used my Art Glitter Ultra Fine tip to add Art Glitter 280 Lime Rind Ultrafine Opaque Glitter to my design and pull together my color choices. I love to enhance my stamped glitter images with a second color and my Art Glitter Ultra fine tip!


I also glued more of the crimped paper at the bottom, making small pleats to form the bottom. I then added the rolled roses, over the shoulder, at the waist, and near the hem.


After the skirt, I made mini rolled roses using a die and inking the edges. You just roll them up and place a dot of hot glue on the base to hold the rolls in place. I placed some across one shoulder, at the waist and a few near the hem.

You may not have a chance to walk the red carpet, but you can make your fantasy dress with just your paper crafting tools and Art Glitter.

Supplies Used
Art Glitter 185 Varsity Blue Ultrafine Pearlescent
Art Glitter 280 Lime Rind Ultrafine Opaque Glitter
Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive
Martha Stewart Border Punch
My Favorite Things Mini Rolled Roses Die-Namics
Fiskars Paper Crimper
Inkadinkado Wellspring Stamps
Martha Stewart Glue Pad
Low Temp Hot Glue Gun
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Bo Bunny (Green patterned paper)
Assorted cardstock
Harumika Style Your Imagination by Ban Dai (Dress form)