My Homemade Glass Glitter!
Anyone who knows me knows I have a love affair with glitter, sparkling dust, Pixie Dust, Glass Specs, Stickles, Sprinkles, you name it, if its Glittery and sparkly, then chances are I'm going to love it.
Now let's make it clear, I don't like cheapy glitter and tons of it on everything, but I do like to add a little bit of magic on things when I can. I started out as the Glittering Faerie Queen, and I haven't lost those roots.
I eventually want to fill an old wine barrel with loads and loads of sparkling glittered stars, ready to turn into wands, ornaments, Ceiling ornaments, swags, Garland, trees and more, it just looks so enchanting, like it was delivered right from a Faerie Apothecary Shoppe in a Wizardry Town. So until I get to that project I house my glittered treats in old wire baskets, either hanging with ribbon from a ceiling plant hook or on top of a side table. I fill Glass Vessels such as Salt and Pepper Shakers, Sugar Shakers, Apothecary Bottles, Pretty Wine Bottles, candy and candle jars with loads of different glitter, always complete with a vintage spoon or tablespoon set near their gleaming sides, ready to sprinkle onto a project or vintage piece.
I believe you can never have too much glitter, I love when I find glitter sales, I'll spend loads on that stuff.
I especially am in love with Ranger's Stickles Glitters: Tiara is such a great color, when dried it looks like Vintage Glitter Tinsel, trust me, this is a product you want to have on hand. Stickles Glitters dry fast and give you wonderful results.
http://www.rangerink.com/ Visit Ranger's Site for a list of stickles colors.
But if you are like me and look for deals, or like to recycle, then I have to share something with you,
a little sneak peek into my secret invention: Lisa's Handmade Glass Glitter or Pixie Shards as I tend to call them! This invention occured during the creation of my newly anticipated art book: Altered Art Circus, Quarry Books, Feb.2009! I was researching the history of Christmas Ornaments and after leaping from one site, to another, to another, I became familiarized with the origins of glass glitter which graces the many vintage works we have grown to love and the new pieces making history today.
Its quite simple, many ornaments were made for the wealthy or for merchants by The Dresden Company, Glass Companies and other elite institutions, many housed in Germany. However for the more humble households, ornaments were handmade from found objectsSound Familiar? What do we artists do today, we recycle found objects turning them into new works of art, giving them a new meaning, a new purpose, bringing them to life again in a new way. Well this mentality we have developed was actually recycled from our vintage relatives. Remember Little House of The Prairie or A Victorian Christmas where trees were decorated with paper cones filled with flowers and candy, candles, and handmade paper ornaments, which are extremely collectible today.
Don't forget the 1920's with the wide spread of Crepe Paper delights from the Dennison Company, the popcorn garland of the 1940s and 50's, all in-expensive ways to create a joyful day. When a piece of glass broke or a blown glass tinsel ornament, these artful pioneers, simple crushed them more and glued them delicately to their handmade paper or fabric ornaments, voila, Victorian Glitter. Obviously there is more too this theory, I have touched a bit on this in my art book, and will go further into glass glitter making in my 2nd book.
My goal is to provide artists and designers with alternate ways to make glitter or art products from everyday products, somewhat GREEN in theory, to use. The result you are recycling which helps nature, using less money and keeping the tradition of the Crafter, The Artist, The Tradesman alive.Its insane how much manufacturers charge for a small amount of glass glitter when in fact glass is everywhere, we have so much of it, from tomato sauce jars, veggie jars, pickle jars, and other food containers, which can easily be used in the glass making process.
My Glass Glitter (Pixie Shards) involves thin glass, a rock tumbler, morter/pedastal, Ranger Alcohol Inks(any color) Some art sand, a plastic bag, newspaper and protective eye wear.
Suze Weinberg http://suzeweinberg.typepad.com/suzeblogz/came over a few weeks ago and I showed her how I make it, since then I have further refined the glitter process with a faster more conveinent way, by eliminating the tumbler part. This new way makes my glitter process much easier. I will be sharing my formula very soon, I promise, and You all know I keep my promises, trust me, you are going to love this new recycling medium!
Magic and Glittery Joy!
Lisa!
Caldwell College book signing
Watson's Magic Shoppe is an Art card (ATC) project from my book!
