Glitz & Glitter
By Judi Kauffman
Everyone likes a little of "bling" now and then, and card
makers are no exception. Explore the wide array of products
that sparkle and shine to use to create cards that catch the
eye and capture the heart.
Those of us who get distracted by shiny objects can pile on as much glitz and glitter as a card can hold. Gem-topped brads, glittery stickers and ribbon, and other embellishments are readily available and come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Glitter and embossing powder are available in hundreds of colors. Manufacturers ship new releases every season, making it fun to shop for supplies.
 Like most card-making project designs, the first consideration is the recipient. If a friend carries a large rhinestone-studded purse made of shimmering copper leather, go for glittery background paper and pile on the embellishments. For someone who wears a single pearl on a gold chain and shudders at the mention of a diamond bracelet, accent the card with just a touch of sparkle. If you're working on cards without knowing where they will be sent, let your eye and your supplies guide you. Cards sometimes call out for a tiny dash of glitz and other times require a massive infusion.
Card stock and paper come with sparkle covering the entire surface -- one company calls theirs Sugar Coated -- as well as in styles with glitter or foil in selected areas of the pattern. You can add your own touches with glitter or glitter glue, embossing powder or sparkling fibers, or make paper from scratch and mix sparkling inclusions into the pulp.
Scrapbooking supplies are just right for cards too. Paper and card-stock stickers, sticker gems, chipboard letters and shapes, sparkling brads, flowers, and clips are but a few of the many options. Put charms, hologram stickers, glitter ribbon, glitter spray, sequin ribbon, iron-on metallic braid, foil, Mylar and other items on the list, while you're at it. Add die cuts, punches and embossing to the mix, and the possibilities expand exponentially. Customize, alter, combine -- surprise yourself! It's easy to see why I haven't budged from my studio in days!
Here's a resource list to help you get started on your own quest for Glitz & Glitter.
Surfaces
Pens
- Gelly Roll® Metallic, Stardust (glitter), Glaze (3D translucent) and Pen-Touch (gold, silver) pens; Sakura of America™, SakuraOfAmerica.com
Chipboard Letters & Shapes, Stickers
- Tin Type hologram adhesive-backed alphabet
- Stanislaus Imports, StanislausImports.com
- Chipboard alphabets and shapes, dimensional and embossed stickers, bead stickers; K&Company, KAndCompany.com
- Chipboard alphabet; Inque Boutique, GoInque.com
Embossing Powders, Sparkling Fibers, Ribbon
Inks, Paints, Sprays
- Krylon® Glitter Spray and metallic paints, Krylon.com
- ColorBox MicaMagic; Clearsnap, ClearSnap.com
- Opalite, Tsukineko® LLC., Tsukineko.com
- Twinkling H2Os; LuminArte Inc.™, LuminArte
- Magik Glitter (glitter glue), ultrafine and regular glitter; Sulyn Industries, Sulyn.com
Brads, Gems, Charms & More
- Sugar Coated brads; Doodlebug Design Inc., Doodlebug.ws
- Sparkle brads, crown-shaped brads; Hot Off The Press, PaperWishes.com
- Bead Party Bling! Bling! (sticker gems); Sulyn Industries, Sulyn.com
- K&Company, KAndCompany.com
- Allison Connors glitter flower paper clips, rhinestone cherry brads, layered brads and more; Creative Imaginations, CreativeImaginations.us
- Shimmer Sheetz iridescent and tranluscent Mylar, traditional and shaped sequins and spangles; Sulyn Industries, Sulyn.com
- Glitter brads; Karen Foster Design, KarenFosterDesign.com
- Swarovski® Crystal flatbacks, hotfix, pearls, sew-ons and buttons, and other components; Swarvski North America, Create-Your-Style.com
Copyright © October 2008 CardMaker magazine. All rights reserved. |
