Welcome everybody! I don't know about you, but sometimes I can't get enough glitter. I've gone through several gallons of Diamond Glitter glue over the years, so it is no surprise that I tend to keep a good supply of glitter in my craft bins. I was inspired when I saw my pack of Martha Stewart glitter (I think I purchased these years ago, they last a long time!) and decided it was time to make a video.
In the video I start with a super easy inlay technique using Scor Tape double sided adhesive sheets. You get consistently excellent results with this tape so it is on my list of basic must haves - in addition to being useful in a number of special techniques, it really is terrific for glitter application.
The adhesive sheets are applied behind an open die cut, like the Blooming Peony Stem (recently released and one of our best sellers). Once the glitter is rubbed into the open areas of the die cut, the magic begins! The glitter lays down flat - catching glints of light and reflection each time the card is moved. The effect is mesmerizing! I added a sentiment from the Open Studio Watching the World Bloom clear stamp set (it has several sentiments that would work well on this card) and I decided to do a small pack of cards for a friend. I created the same card over and over, but I changed out the base card so that there were Key Lime, Sunflower, Mango, Violet and Pool notecards in the set. It was a really cheery looking gift!
Here is an up close look at what it looks like after you have completed the inlay glitter process. Every speck of glitter catches the light - and because you are applying the glitter by hand, the result is a smooth and flat layer of glitter.
The look you end up with depends on the kind of glitter that you use - the peony above was done with clear glitter, so the color of the paper underneath comes through, but with a frosted look.
Of course you can't stop with just one shade of glitter though - with so many colors available, it is just natural to add some more!
I combined an ink blended background with a layer of clear and colored glitter inside the Deer Grove Oval - check out the video for some general tips on creating an ombre effect. If you are new to working with glitter, then start with a two color project before progressing - it's easy to get a little messy! I offer some suggestions for how to conserve your glitter and how to work with two colors at a time. I used Distress Ink for the background, in Squeezed Lemonade and Tumbled Glass, and created a bright springtime background for the glitter to layer over. In the video, you will see there was just enough room to add in the Scribble Hello from Poppystamps - in basic black cardstock at the corner for a crisp, clean look.
Since a lot of the dies I design are intended to work together, I also added a short tutorial on combining the Deer Grove Oval and the Grand Stag Oval - when these are layered together the deer face each other. You could use these in combination for so many different kinds of greetings - my goal is to always create dies that work with each other to inspire lots of different creative opportunities! And I really love the color combination - Distress Ink in Wilted Violet and Evergreen Bough is such a striking combination.
Once you've gotten the hang of blending glitter, then adding lots of shades to one project is a breeze! I used the Open Studio Butterfly Ensemble and Morning Garden Butterflies to create the shimmering butterflies here. I think if I had the time I would devote a day to creating butterflies - the play of the white against the brilliant color, the possibilities of blending from one area of the wing towards the center - it is easy, fun and inspiring and you can't really go wrong!
Careful - like all of this papercrafting stuff, it is addictive! Fortunately, the glitter seems to last forever (those bottles never seem to get empty - even after all these years!) so you can play and play.
The cloud background was super easy - just a few quick cuts using the Poppystamps Stitched Cloudline and some simple sponging makes for a quick background and the perfect spot to add a sentiment. I stamped greetings from the Poppystamp Ornamental Butterflies clear stamp set in plain black ink. The butterflies provided all the color necessary!
I finished up making the projects and editing the video and took a look around the office - glitter on the keyboard, glitter on my shirt, glitter on the dog...well, don't say I didn't warn you!
So what inspired the video? This week was the release of our new collections at Memory Box, Poppystamps and Birch Press - yes, all three companies released some amazing new stuff to play with! I had my Deer Grove Oval in hand when I thought, "This would work great with a glittery background..." and next thing you know I had a glitter video. Hope you enjoy it!