Shimmer and Glimmer, Baby!

At last!  My Glimmer Mist tutorial!!  It's long - because I just couldn't stop talking about the glories of Glimmer Mist!  I hope it was worth the wait!

One of my favorite things to use in scrapbooking is Glimmer Mist.  Glimmer Mist is a water based, non-toxic, acid-free paint in a mist bottle with the added attribute of a glimmer substance that adds a beautiful shimmer to everything it touches.

Glimmer Mist is made by Tattered Angels and available online (scrapbook.com carries a fine variety of colors).  You might also find it in your local scrapbook shops.  A similiar paint can also be made using various shimmery powders (found in the scrapbook section of your shops) and mixed with water in a mister tube.  Personally, I prefer Glimmer Mist.  Glimmer Mist comes in a wide variety of colors and Tattered Angels also offers certain seasonal colors  for a limited time.  (No, I am not associated with this product or company, I'm just a big fan!)

Glimmer Mist can be used on a porous materials, such as paper and fabric.  It's not very effective on plastic an I've had limited success with coated papers or finished chipboard letters and metal embellishments.  Remember, it is a water-based paint.

My favorite use for Glimmer Mist is to add color or shimmer to an embellishment.  To add shimmer, use a Glimmer Mist that is either close to the color you are working with, or a more transparent color, such as Pearl. You can also use Glimmer Mist to design your own paper.  The uses  really are limited only by your imagination!

To begin, choose the color or colors you want to use, and the item you want to change.  I place a dollar store plastic tablecloth on a flat surface (I reuse my tablecloth and find solid colors easier to clean).  Depending on the size of the item I am working on, I may also use a paper towel under a smaller item.  Below, I have my supplies.

Supplies: plastic tablecloth, two Glimmer Mists: pink and yellow, a white sheet of scrapbook paper (right), a paper towel (left), a "masque" (reverse stencil) and two flower shapes cut out of used dryer sheets

Next, lay the larger flower on the paper towel and the mask in the upper left corner of the paper.  Lightly mist with the pink Glimmer Mist.  When misting with Glimmer Mist, be sure to gently shake (not up and down, but side to side) until the shimmer on the bottom of the bottle is mixed in to the color.  it is not uncommon for the spray to blop out and leave spots.  Personally, I like the splotches, but if you don't, you can use a scrunched up paper towel and blot the splotches away.

Misting with pink Glimmer Mist over flower shape (left) and masque (right)

 Next, I clean the masque off with a paper towel and move it to the bottom right of the paper, and place the smaller dryer sheet flower shape on the paper towel.  Lightly mist with yellow Glimmer Mist.

Misting with yellow Glimmer Mist

Remove the masque from the paper, and voila! ou have a custom made paper!  See how the colors blend beautifully, without any effort?  Try blending the colors together using a paper towel while the paints are still wet.  You could take a fine color marker in a coordinating color and trace the edges of the masqued image.  Like I said, the ideas are only as limited as your imagination.

Tip: be patient and don't over saturate the paper with wet color, or it will curl.  If you desire a darker color, remist after the original misting has dried.  If your paper curls, you can iron it with a low dry iron.  To iron, wait until the paper is completely dry.  Put paper towels under and over the paper to avoid getting pain on your iron and board and slowly iron with a low setting.  Then place a heavy book(s) on top of the paper til it cools.

Masqued design

And the dryer sheet shapes I colored?  I edged them with coordinating stickles, layered them with a floral cotton print, pushed a brad through the center - and ta-da, a cute flower!  The leaves are also dryer sheets, cut in leaf shapes, Glimmer Misted in green and detailed with stickles.

Cute dryer sheet flower

Dryer sheet flowers in a layout

You can also use the masque in a reverse image of a masque.  Instead of wiping the paint off after the first masqued image is created, flip it over for a stenciled look in reverse.  Glimmer Mist can also be used to spray paint your paper for a more urban look.

Reversed masque and spray paint look

Doilies are a great way to add design and texture to a layout.  I get mine at the grocery store or in the Wilton cake section of my craft store.  The problem with doilies is that they come in limited color choices.  The good thing is - the accept Glimmer Mist really well!

Before: yellow Glimmer Mist
& small heart doily

After: yellow doily!

A fantastic use of Glimmer Mist is to customize flowers.  You could use Glimmer Mist on a colored flower with either a coordinating color or a transparent color to just add shimmer.  Below, I have used a yellow Glimmer Mist and a terracotta Glimmer Mist to change a plain white paper flower (Prima) to a flower with spectacular colors!!

Supplies: yellow Glimmer Mist, terracotta Glimmer Mist, white paper flower

First I spray the center of the flower with the yellow Glimmer Mist.

Sprayed with yellow in the center

Next, I took a small piece of foil and sprayed the terracotta  to make a puddle.

Puddle of Terracotta Glimmer Mist

Then I turned the flower upside down and dragged the tips of the petals through the terracotta puddle.

Dragging the tips of the petals through the puddle.

As they say in France, et Voila!    You can almost see the glimmery shimmer of the colors in this photo!

Fabulous custom flower!

The examples I've shared with you are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using Glimmer Mist creatively!  For more inspiration, checkout the Tattered Angels website!

Next tutorial will share ideas for making flowers to use on scrapbook layouts and cards!  Until then, go crop yourself!