Ways to add Glitter and Shine to your cards
This post shows cards I made inspired by the Let It Shine online class at Altenew Academy. The course helps you work out ways to add shine to your projects and get a wow reaction! Of the many ways available to add shine to projects, I decided to use glitter to add shine to my cards. This is part of the Level 1 AECP course that I am undertaking.
Brace yourselves, this is one of my longest posts which is filled with a ton of tips and info for those who would like to add glitter with a wow for their cards - so hang on and enjoy the ride!
I am going to start by acknowledging that glitter is not eco-friendly and has been banned in some outlets and learning institutions. However over the years (of more than a decade) I have accumulated a whole load of glitter and though I am not buying anymore glitter, I wanted to find a safe way to use up this glitter that would not harm the environment. So I researched the safest way to use glitter in craft projects and this is what I found (check it out) - here is a key excerpt that drives the usage on my cards.
The best way to dispose of your plastic glitter is to permanently glue it to something you plan to keep (if not forever, at least for a long time). Take some strong, high quality adhesive and use it to sparkle up your room or some of the personal items that you carry around.
So this is what I am going to do - secure the glitter robustly onto my card. I add glitter to the cards using five types of glitter products:
Loose fine glitter
Glitter embossing powder
Glitter card
Glitter glue
Glitter brush
Do check out the video below to see how I created these cards:
GLITTER METHOD - LOOSE FINE GLITTER
Loose fine glitter used on these cards with different ways of adhering the glitter, double-sided tape, double-sided sheet, liquid glue and embossing paste. The fine glitter used in these cards are primarily from Art Glitter’s Ultra Fine Glitter and some from Nuvo Tonic Studios’ Pure Sheen Glitter. Many of the glitter from Art Glitter were purchased more than ten years ago and are not currently available. Use any fine glitter that you have to hand to achieve the same results. With the bottom three cards i.e. cards #4, #5 and #6 used multiple glitter shades to achieve some shades of colours in the flowers and leaves using glitter. Patience is required to achieve the end result:)
1a. Double-sided tape - Card #1, Hello You
An easy way to add glitter to a card using loose fine glitter is double-sided tape. Adhere good quality double-sided tape to a piece of card (at least 80lbs card), either at an angle, vertically or horizaontally until entire card surface os covered. Choose fine glitter to be used, ensure colours are complementary. Remove tape one by one and sprinkle glitter onto exposed adhesive. Place backing that was removed from the double-sided tape onto the glitter and press with a bone folder along area sprinkled with glitter to ensure that glitter sticks onto adhesive.
Repeat steps with each strip of tape until whole card panel is covered with coloured glitter. Fine glitter or ultra fine glitter is best for this technique so the area with adhesive is completely covered with glitter. Chunky glitter will not achieve the same results.
To ensure that the glitter does not ‘shed’ either spray with hair spray (but this is not great for the environment) or place an acetate over the glitter. I did the latter - apply Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip to edge of glittered card panel and place acetate on it to ‘trap’ glitter and secure acetate on card panel. As adhesive can be seen through an acetate, I die cut a frame with Waffle Flower A2 Layers Die. I used the largest rectangle and fourth largest rectangle dies in the set and taped together, then die cut 110lbs Neenah Solar White Cardstock to get the frame. The card frame will hide the adhesive.
To assemble the card, adhere fun foam behind the glittered card panel with the acetate on it and adhere to A2 sized card (4.25” by 5.5”). Attach frame to acetate with foam strip adhesive to card panel.
The flower is die cut from Altenew Layered Rose die and the sentiments are from Altenew Bold Greetings die. The flower and sentiments are layered for dimension.
1b. Double-sided sheet - Card #2, Happy Birthday
Adhere double-sided sheet to a 80lbs Neenah Solar White Cardstock cut to A2 size (4.25” by 5.5”). Place the Altenew Dainty Blooms Cover die on the double-sided sheet and put through die cutting machine. Due to the two layers (cardstock and double-sided sheet) only the backing layer of the double-sided sheet will cut through. If the card is also slightly cut, turn the die cut ‘sandwich’ over and remove plates so the back of the die cut is exposed. To keep the entire die cut together, adhere some cellophane tape on the back.
Flip over die cut card panel and remove part of the double-sided sheet backing paper to expose adhesive. Sprinkle fine glitter and burnish with bone folder to ensure that glitter sticks to the adhesive firmly. Repeat until entire panel is covered with coloured glitter. Finally remove the outline backing and place an outline die cut of the Altenew Dainty Blooms Cover die (cut separately) over the glittered card panel.
Adhere sentiment to vellum strip and wrap around glittered card panel. Sentiment ‘happy’ is from Altenew Setiment Strips stamp and stamped with Versafine Majestic Blue and die cut with Photoplay Sentiment Strip die. ‘Birthday’ is from Altenew Tall Alpha dies which is layered with white card stock and shine added with Ranger Glossy Accents.
Back card panel with fun foam and adhere to A2 card with double-sided tape.
1c. Liquid Glue - Card #3, Sunflower
Stamp Altenew Paint-A-Flower: Sunflower Outline Stamp onto acetate with StazOn Jet Black ink. Since acetate is a very smooth surface, it is quite easy to slip when stamping, thus using a stamping tool is safer for best results. I used the MISTI Stamping tool but any stamping tool will do.
To adhere glitter flip, the acetate over. Tap antistatic powder bag on the back of the acetate to prevent glitter sticking to areas not wanted/intended. Apply Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip to specific areas that you want to sprinkle fine glitter on. The metal tip on the liquid glue bottle is very important for this technique to ensure precision on where the glue is placed. As you await the glued area to dry (it dries in about ten minutes) apply glue to a different area, that is not adjacent so the glitter is not contaminated. Three shades of yellow glitter and two shades o green glitter used on the flowers and leaves respectively. Repeat until the whole stamped picture is ‘coloured’ with fine glitter. Leave to dry for at least an hour.
Flip acetate over and adhere to white card panel. Acetate and white card panel each measures 4.25” by 5.5” to fit onto an A2 card. Back with fun foam for dimension and adhere onto A2 card.
Die cut frame using Waffle Flower A2 Layers Die (as per card #1, para three) using Craft Perfect Green Valley paper pad, Emerald Hessian Specialty Card, and adhere to card with foam strip adhesive.
Sentiments from Altenew Bold Greetings die and Waffle Flower Oversized Hello stamp. The ‘Hello’ is layered with white cardstock for dimension and the final black ‘hello’ die cut is slightly offset. Also the ‘hello’ is applied with Ranger Glossy Accents for a shine. The sub-sentiments are stamped with Versamark ink and heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder and layered for dimension with scrap cardstock.
1c. Liquid Glue - Card #4, Roses
Follow same steps as Card #3 except that stamp used is Altenew Paint-A-Flower Rose Outline stamp. Glitter colours also differ where shades of orange, red, green, and purple are used as well as turquoise.
Sentiments while different from Card #3 are from the same sets, i.e. Altenew Bold Greetings die and Waffle Flower Oversized Hello stamp.
1c. Liquid Glue - Card #5, Hydrangea
Follow same steps as Card #3 except that stamp used is Altenew Paint-A-Flower Hydrangea Outline stamp. Glitter colours also differ where shades of orange, red, green, and pueple are used as well as turquoise.
Sentiments while different from Card #3 are from the same sets, i.e. Altenew Bold Greetings die and Waffle Flower Oversized Hello stamp.
1d. Embossing Paste - Card #6, Hello
Tape Altenew Beach Towel Stripes stencil to 80lbs cardstock and spread Altenew Embossing Paste (not fully). Remove stencil and sprinkle turquoise, silver, and copper glitter on still wet embossing paste. Put aside to dry overnight.
Back stencilled card panel with fun foam and adhere to a top folding A2 card made from silver metallic card.
For sentiment die cut Altenew Fancy Hello die with teal cards stock once and a few times in scrap white cards. Layer ‘hello’ die cards for dimension and adhere to card front.
2. GLITTER METHOD - GLITTER EMBOSSING POWDER
Glitter embossing powder used on these cards.
Card #7 - Gold Happy Birthday
Apply antistatic powder bag to the front of a side folding A6 black card which measures 5.8” by 4.1”. Prep circular stamp with sentiment from Altenew Modern Greetings stamp with Altenew stamp conditioning eraser (important especially since the stamp is quite solid), ink with Versamark ink, and sprinkle stamped image with Stampendous Jeweled Transparent Gold embossing powder and heat emboss with WOW Dual Speed Heat Tool.
Sub-sentiment is from the same stamp set, which is heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder and die cut with Altenew Featured Sentiments die. Back sub-sentiment with foam strip adhesive and adhere to card front.
Card #8 - Red & Green Happy Birthday
Follow same steps as Card #7 except that the based A6 card used is white and the glitter embossing powder is red and green from Heritage Rubber Stamp Co. I used Christmas colours here for a friend with a birthday near Christmas and loves receiving Christmas type birthday cards. I will probably add a string and bow (with an artline fine tip pen) to the circle to make it look like a Christmas bauble before I send it to her!
3a. Glitter card inlay - Card #8, Hello
Back and A2 sized 80lbs cardstock with Altenew double-sided adhesive sheet. Place Altenew Grid Cover die on backing of the double-sided adhesive sheet and put through die cutting machine. Only the backing sheet is mainly cut - see card #2, para 1 on tips to hold die cut panel together.
The glitter cards used are from Concord & 9th Summer Glitter Pack for the pink and turquoise cards and Craft Perfect Glitter Card, Nebula Purple for the purple glitter card. Die cut glitter cards partially to inlay into fully die cut panel. Peel off double-sided adhesive sheet backing one by one and inlay with coloured glitter card. Repeat until all the tiny squares are filled with coloured glitter card pieces. Then remove the backing of the die outline and adhere a separately die cut outline in 110lbs Neenah Solar White Cardstock. Back card panel with inlay with fun foam for dimension and adhere to a side folding A2 card.
For the sentiment used Altenew Fine Alphabet die set. Die cut once in black cardstock and a few time in white card scrap. Layer all die cuts for dimension and adhere to card front and shine added to the ‘hello’ with Ranger Glossy Accents.
3a. Glitter card inlay - Card #9, Paper hugs
Follow the same steps as card #8 with regards to inlay the die cuts, except for the following. The glitter card used is from Memory Box Frosted Glitter Pad and the die used is Altenew Gradient Stripes Cover die.
Sentiment die, ‘hugs’ is from Altenew Circled Greetings and ‘paper’ is from Waffle Flower Oversized Hello stamp.
3b. Glitter card background - Card #10, Sending you Love
Stamp Altenew Paint-A-Flower: Tulips Outline Stamp onto acetate with StazOn Jet Black ink. Since acetate is a very smooth surface, it is quite easy to slip when stamping, thus using a stamping tool is safer for best results. I used the MISTI Stamping tool but any stamping tool will do.
Flip acetate with stamped image over and use alcohol ink markers to colour image. A few layers of ink is required in some areas for shadow. The alcohol ink markers I used are as follows: Altenew alcohol ink markers, Y204 (Mango Smoothie), Y608 (Autumn Blaze), B227 (Desert Night), R206 (Crimson), R614 (Purple Wine) and Copic markers, YG67 (Moss), YG17 (Green Grass), and Y38 (Honey). Used Altenew’s Colorless Blender marker to remove ink where it goes over the line, so I use it more like a correction marker!
Once the colouring is completed, flip acetate over and adhere to a light aqua glitter card from Memory Box Frosted Glitter Pad. Back with fun foam for dimension and adhere to a side folding A2 card. The glitter from the background glitter card shines through the coloured flower arrangement.
Die cut frame using Waffle Flower A2 Layers Die (as per card #1, para three) using a thick black cardstock and adhere to card with foam strip adhesive.
Sentiment is from the same stamp set, Altenew Paint-A-Flower: Tulips Outline Stamp. Stamp on black card and heat emboss with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder, fussy cut, back with Stick It 3D Foam Square and adhere to card front.
4. GLITTER METHOD - GLITTER GLUE
Backgrounds of these cards are achieved with the use of glitter glue, Stickles.
4a. Glitter Glue with a scraper - Card #11, Hooray
Squirt glitter glue in a row on a white cardstock (use 110lbs cardstock). Be generous with glitter glue squirted onto card - I used Stickles glitter glue that I have had in my stash for a very long time and some of them had dried up and some needed ‘heavy encouragement’ to release. I used a few colours but you can use as many or fewer colours as you like. Use a craft scraper (or an old credit card) to spread glitter glue across card. It does not need to cover whole card front, but enough to have a pretty bacground. Leave to dry overnight. Don’t worry if the card warps a little, you can add soem fun foam or heavy card stock behind to straighten card panel.
Once card panel is dried, back with fun foam and adhere to a side folding A2 card. Die cut frame using Waffle Flower A2 Layers Die (as per card #1, para three) using a thick orange cardstock and adhere to card with foam strip adhesive.
Sentiment die, ‘hooray’ is from Altenew Script Word 3 and sub sentiment, ‘Let’s Celebrate’ is from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words stamp. Die cut ‘hooray’ with cardstock from Craft Perfect Pearlescent Card Navy Dazzle once and white scrap card a few times for dimension. Offset the navy die cut slightly and adhere onto card front. The sub-sentiment is stamped with Versafine Imperial Purple and die cut with Photoplay Sentiment Strip die. Back sub-sentiment with foam strip adhesive and adhere to card front.
4a. Glitter Glue with a scraper - Card #12, Sweet
Follow steps of card #11 except for the glitter glue colours used and the following. The palm leaf die cuts is from Altenew Parlor Palm die set.
While the sentiments are different, they are from the same die and stamp sets, i.e. Altenew Script Word 3 and Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words stamp respectively.
4a. Glitter Glue with a stencil - Card #13, Make a Wish
I wanted a stencil like the Altenew Garden Trellis cover die but did not have one, so I used the die (which I had) and made a temporary stencil. This is how I did that.
Use the garden trellis die and die cut masking paper. Adhere die cut masking paper to white card panel. Squirt silver and lavender stickles glitter glue on card with masking paper die cut and spread to part of card panel, remove masking paper and leave card panel to dry for a few hours.
In the meantime stamp images from Altenew Focus on You stamp and die bundle on 80lbs Neenah Solar White Cardstock with Versafine Onyx Black ink or Altenew Permanent black ink. I stamped with the latter as I initially thought I might use alcohol ink markers, but ended up using colour pencils instead. Stamp images twices and colour with Prismacolor and Faber-Castell colour pencils as follows. For the leaves use PC1090, PC 1091, and PC 1097 and colour flowers with orange (PC918 and PC921), yellow (PC1002 an PC1003), purple (PC932 and PC1008), red (FC 9201-219), teal (PC105 and PC992) and blue (FC 9201-145 and FC 9201-152).
Once the colouring of images is complete, use coordinating dies and die cut the coloured flowers and leaves images. Arrange these die cuts on the background of dried stickles of the garden trellis stencil mask. Adhere with liquid glue, Art Glitter Liquid Glue and some for dimension with Stick It 3D Foam Square. Add the silver stickles for the centres of flowers. Back card panel with fun foam and adhere to a side folding A6 card.
Sentiment ‘make a wish’ is from Altenew Setiment Strips stamp and ‘hello there’ and ‘have a super day’ from Altenew Sentiment Strips 2 stamp. Stamp with Versamark ink, and heat emboss with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder. Die cut with Photoplay Sentiment Strip die, back with foam strip adhesive and adhere to card front.
Finally adhere a lavender ribbon bow to top of card to show it ‘holding’ the floral arrangement together.
5. GLITTER METHOD - GLITTER BRUSH
Card #14 - For my Fabulous Friend
Stamp the Altenew Sweet Cluster stamp repeatedly with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink covering a card panel of 80lbs Neenah Solar White Cardstock measuring 3.5” by 4.75”. Sprinkle stamped card panel with clear embossing powder and heat with WOW Dual Speed Heat Tool until embossing powder melts.
Colour flowers and leaves with a combonation of alcohol ink markers and colour pencils as follows: Leaves - Copic C1 (Cool Gray No. 1), C0 (Cool Gray No. 0), and Prismacolor PC1065 (70% Cool Grey) and Faber-Castell 9201-252 (Cold Grey III). Flowers - BG11 (Moon White); Altenew alcohol markers, B802 (Mountain Mist), B714 (Volcano Lake), R601 (Rose Quartz), R603 (Puffy Heart), R614 (Purple Wine), B204 (Ocean Waves), and Prismacolor PC903 (True Blue).
Back card panel with fun foam and adhere to a side folding A2 card. Sentiment is from the Altenew Setiment Strips stamp. Stamp with Versamark ink, and heat emboss with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder. Back with foam strip adhesive and adhere to card front.
Add gems to flower centres from Lucy’s Shop, Crystal Collection, Mermazing and Peacock. Adhere gems to card front using Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip and Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker.
Finally brush the flower petals with a glitter brush, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle to add shimmery glitter.
Thank you for stopping by and reading this very (!) long post. Do leave a comment if you have a query or just if you want to:) Have a lovely day.