Glitter Ornaments with Transparencies by Candy Spiegel

I love the sparkle glitter provides. It seems a natural match for Christmas ornaments. But, sometimes I have a hard time getting it to look just right. I’ve watched Barbara Trombley, the owner of Art Glitter, do magnificent creations with glitter and glue, but mine just never seem to turn out as well.

Until I discovered a little secret … If you stamp on an acetate transparency and then put glitter on the back side, you will get a beautiful image without any glitter “mistakes”.

Using a stamp from Holly Berry House, a plastic ornament and some products from Art Glitter, I created this...

Isn’t it amazing!?!

I started by stamping the image on an Acetate Transparency using a Very Black Permanent Stamp Pad. Then, I used my heat tool to set the ink and then punched the center out so it would fit over the top of the ball.

Next, I turned the image over and used the Ultrafine Metal Tip and Designer Dries Clear Adhesive to apply the following glitters: Ultrafine Opaque Berry (4), Ultrafine Opaque True Red (1), Ultrafine Opaque Emerald (48) and Vintage Glass Glitter in Red Damask (608). I also covered the metal top in Ultrafine True Red glitter.

As you work, you’ll see the glue on the front side of the image. However, when it is totally dry, the glue vanishes and all you will see is the glitter.

While that dried, I cut strips of Fantasy Film in Waterfall, crumbled them up and then added them to the inside of the ball.

Once the transparency was dry, I cut out the image and then placed it on top of the ball and then put the clip back in place.

I didn’t like how wide the flower was, so I bent each side and glued the edge of the petal to the ball. This takes some time — Designer Dries Clear Adhesive dries quickly on most surfaces, but attaching glitter to plastic is a bit tough. I used a piece of tape to hold it in place while the glue dried overnight. Since all of the glitter is on the underside, it didn’t cause any damage when I removed it.

Of course, I was so excited with that project, I got a bit carried away and made this one, using the same technique:

For this one, I stamped the image twice and cut the green leaves out of the second one. I glittered them with the same ones mentioned above. However, since this one was keeping its center, I added Microfine Opaque Glitter in Cayman (521) to the center of the top layer only. I did not place any glitter in the center on the bottom image (the one with the green leaves), since I wanted a place to attach the two images together.

Once dry, I cut out both images and used adhesive foam to attach them in the center, to provide a dimensional look. Then, I added Large Glass Beads in Solar (803) to the center of the flower. (The beads are the only thing attached to the top of the transparency, rather than the back side.

Finally, I used my Crop-a-Dile to add an eyelet to the top and then strung a piece of ribbon as a hanger.

I wish you could see the sparkle and dimension in person! It’s beautiful. I hung it on the tree in front of a light to give it even more elegance.

Happy glittering!
(I received Art Glitter products in exchange for this post).

For The Love of Zentangles ® by Laura Fraedrich

I am hopelessly in love with Zentangles®. What's not to love about an art form that has been referred to as 'yoga for the brain'? There's nothing more calming than getting out a  Micron marker and sketch pad and mindlessly drawing repeating shapes which will end up turning into an amazing piece of art. I started by trying to draw them myself, then decided to invest in a book that taught me how to draw some patterns. After awhile, I began adding colors to my designs and loved how they contrasted with the black and white patterns of the 'tangle'. I took it a step further by taking a class at  Art Unraveled in 2010 with Rena Tucker on how to use Zentangles® to enhance other media such as collage. Shortly thereafter, I started noticing fabrics in the stores that had small black and white repeating patterns and just had to have them. Born were my 'Zentangle® Inspired Art Quilts' (which can be found in the Winter 2012 issue of Sew Somerset).

My latest project is also inspired by this captivating art form. I found some Zentangle-ish paper in the scrapbook section of my local craft store and knew exactly what I was going to do for my first project as a returning guest designer for Art Glitter. May I present to you...

Zentangle® Inspired Glittery Ornaments

How to make them yourself:

Supplies needed:
• paper mache ornament
• black and white patterned scrapbook paper
• collage adhesive
• small sponge brush
• ribbon that is the same width as the side of the ornament
• Designer Dries Clear adhesive
• small wooden letters to spell Joy and/or Love, or whatever other word you choose
• paint that cooridnates with your ribbon
• paintbrush
• coordinating glitter,  Gala Glitz and/or Dazzlers Art Glitter
• small jingle bell
• assortment of fibers
• black permanent marker, such as a Sharpie

Instructions:
1. Start with a paper mache ornament, which you can get at your local craft store. Tear up pieces of patterned paper and collage them onto the ornament with a collage adhesive such as Collage Pauge and a small sponge brush. Seal by applying another layer of adhesive. Don't worry about covering up the sides completely (see step 2).

2. Cut a length of ribbon that will wrap all the way around the sides of the ornament. Glue on with Adhesive Dries Clear.

3. Cut a few 4" lengths of coordinating fibers and tie around the hanger of the ornament. Use one of the fibers to tie a jingle bell to it. Make sure you make a tight knot so it stays in place, or use a small dab of glue to hold it.

4. Paint the wooden letters with acrylic paint and let dry.

5. Put a healhy coating of Designer Dries Clear adhesive on top of each letter and sprinkle on the glitter, Gala Glitz or Dazzlers of your choice. I used the following colors:

        Joy -  Ultrafine Opaque glitter in Summertree (j and y)
                  and  Gala Glitz Teal (o)

        Love - Vintage Glass Glitter in Thistle (l, v, e)
                    and Dazzlers Fruit Punch (o)

6. Once dry, glue the letters onto the ornament with Designer Dries Clear adhesive and let dry.

The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas and is copyrighted. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.

Glitter Decoupage Ornament Kits-Fast, Fun & Easy by Sarah Bush

If you’re looking for a great last minute gift, you should check out my video for my Glitter Decoupage Ornament Kit.

This pretty project is really fun, easy and perfect for both beginners and seasoned crafters. It’s actually one of the only projects I’ve designed that can be enjoyed and successfully finished by adults and children alike.

It’s a simple technique, but the reason it all comes together in the end is because of a thin layer of Art Institute Crystal Glitter—this last step creates a very satisfying shimmery finish. (It’s very important that this layer remain very thin—dip a wet brush into the decoupage medium to make sure it doesn’t go on too thick.)

I could explain it all in words, but my short, how-to video is really the clearest, fastest way to learn how to make them. You can watch it here:



The kit comes in 3 different color choices, so there’s something for everyone.

If you want to buy the kit, you can order it here: http://makegreatstuff.com/glitter-decoupage-ornament-kits/.

If you want to make something similar on your own, you’ll need the following: paper mache ornaments, decoupage medium, decoupage paper, a craft brush, Crystal Art Glitter, and a yard or two of narrow satin ribbon.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at: sarah@makegreatstuff.com