Puttin' on the Ritz - Creating Glittered Designer Paper

Thank you for joining me over the last few days as I share one of my newest intrigues! Today I will be sharing the most complex of the three projects I worked on last week Friday. Let me tell you that last Friday afternoon was "WAY fun" as I found my sparkle again :-D

CLUE #6

Inch on in and go back in time, to a magnetic post in January 2009.

ETA: Direct link to Clue #7.

As you can see I selected Delovely as the basis for my color theme and ran it throughout this collection. Using the chart I am creating made it easy to select the perfect colors of glitter. As soon as I have that information complete I will link you to it in hopes that it makes your selection process easier as well.

I am SO diggin' the new Hero Arts release. I cannot believe the beautiful impressions I am able to create with the clear stamp line. I can't be as "techniquey" with these stamps, but for stamping and coloring they are fabulous! Thank you Hero Arts and Jennifer McGuire for getting me hooked! LOL!

Once again you can see the Copic colors from which I selected above. Just pretend that the BG's aren't in the mug and you will have the complete grouping for coloring in these darling drink glasses. I do want to point out that I used a Copic multiliner .03 to extend the lines of the straw down into the drink glass - it was just bugging me that I was making the glass clear and couldn't see the straw - LOL! I should have drawn in the fruit as well, but... I'm such a goof!

So here we go - I want to share with you how to make your own designer glitter paper! NEVER throw away the backing that comes with your tape. Yep, you heard me - hoard it as if it were gold :-D This backing is what you will use to create magic with the microfine glitter!

Take your favorite punch shapes and punch to your hearts content. Punch edges, punch flowers, punch butterflies, punch, punch, punch - yep - I think you get the picture! Then save these. I am developing a storage system using little ziplock baggies (I'll share these at another time.) So save those little baggies we send your thank you notes and ribbon in and put them to good use.

Next label them with what is in the bag - flowers, butterflies, yep - whatever it is that you love. Now punch a hole and put it on a ring.

Below you can see the collection of punch shapes that I used for my designer paper. To begin I drew the basic shape of the label I was planning on using on a piece of scrap paper. I should have selected something that was not so distracting. For this I apologize, but I wasn't thinking about that - only about my finished project - LOL!

Arrange your punched backing shapes until you are satisfied. It is much easier to rearrange the shapes here than on your sticky project :-)

For this project I used shapes punched from the following punches:

• English Ivy Edger Punch
• Flowers and Leaves Large Punch
• Star Confetti Punch
• 2-Piece Flower and Retro Flower Punch

I applied my Be Creative Tape to a piece of Solar White cardstock and using my Label die I cut it out. For some odd reason my die did not cut all the way through this time and so I did need to use my Tim Holtz teflon coated scissors to cut through some of the remaining spots. Every other time I have tried this my die cut all the way through, so I'm not certain what was up with it this time. 

Next I removed my "worded" backing. Yes, I saved that piece for future punched shapes :-D

Now using our very fine-tipped teflon coated tweezers (or any other fine-tipped tweezers - I like the teflon coated because if they happen to stick to the adhesive it will have less of a tendency to damage it) place your shapes in the same position as you did on your planned layout. 

Always position your punched shapes with the wording face up!

To create the center in my flower I needed to first place the "abstract" star shape and then position my flower piece over top as shown on the right hand side of the picture. The little star shape is already under neath of this flower.

Finish positioning each piece.

Using an extra piece of backing paper smooth down over your entire project, making certain that each shape is firmly attached.

Cover with glitter.

Remove excess and using your soft make-up style brush (I use my Perfect Pearls brush) brush off the excess glitter.

Now burnish! Remember burnishing simply means to rub over the entire glitter surface with your finger tips. This will keep your glitter in place and ensure that future glitter colors do not become embedded into the current color family.

 

Next I removed the flower shaped backing and applied my Rose glitter.

Once again lift your piece and allow the excess glitter to fall onto your work paper. Use your soft brush to remove any excess. The top right portion is one that was brushed - the lower left is how it will appear when not brushed.

BURNISH with your finger tips!

As you can see I use my tweezers to get in and remove the little shapes that are firmly attached to my backing. If the shape is delicate you will need to work from several different places on your shape so as not to tear it. These little shapes can be reused until they start pulling apart and tearing. Once removed simply store them back into your little bags for future use. 

As you can see in this picture I have removed all of the shapes for my next color application. I wanted yellow to be in the flower centers, as well as on each individual small shaped flower.

Cover with glitter, remove excess glitter by brushing softly and burnish.

Remove small leaves and repeat with Grasshopper colored glitter.

I completed my project by adding yellow gemstones to the centers of three flowers, some Cool Transparent glitter to my fruit pieces, and applying Glossy Accents to my glasses.

So why do I love this product so much - it allows me to be creative! I am only limited by my own imagination. I have other projects to share with you in which I hand cut my shapes to be used on my glitter paper. The possibilities are so incredible!

Now it's time for us to "just chill" :-D Cheers to a marvelous and hopefully sunny weekend ahead - we NEED sunshine here in the Pacific Northwest!!!

stamps: Hero Arts Let's Chill

paper: Cosmo Cricket Delovely, Memory Box Granny Smith, Neenah Solar White

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

accessories: Be Creative 4 1/2" Tape or Sheets, Glitter Ritz Microfine Glitter - Ice Blue, Grasshopper, Rose, Dark Gold, and Cool Microfine; Curved Mega Rectangle Nestability, Summer Mixed Gemstones, Yellow Twill, Glossy Accents, see links above for punch shapes, Tweezer Bees

Comments

[Michele Jacoby]

Thank you so so much for all the time you spend on instructing us with your new products. Sharing your creative talents live on as we re-create...THANKS!

[Judi]

WOW - your cards are SO fun and creative! I got my swatch of ice blue glitter in my order, and I am VERY intrigued! No more glitter falling off my projects? That's AMAZING! Thanks for stocking this glitter -- I want it all, already!
;)

[Lynne Phelps]

You are so clever and this is a wonderful technique!

[mary]

Ellen you are my creative hero! I love that you think outside the box. This card is breathtakingly beautiful!
Hugs,
-mary

[Susan McRae]

Such a cool technique, thanks for sharing!

[Karolyn Loncon]

Super fun and glitzy, Ellen! These colors are stunning! I can really appreciate the blingy-ness of these glitters from the swatch that you included in my last order - yummolicious! Thanks for sharing, girlie!

[Kathy Balch]

What's not to LOVE about this glitter!! I have to have it in every color :)

[KathyN]

Ellen, I LOVE your cards!

[Sandra]

what fun!
Sandra

[Mary Harris]

Very Cool!!

[Lisa Silver (silvergirl)]

Serious loveliness! Thanks for sharing, Ms. Ellen!