Make your own Stickles

Stickles (a brand of glitter glue by Ranger) has been used by stampers, scrapbookers, and crafters for years to add a bit of pizazz to all kinds of paper crafts. Easy to use, available in several colors, and relatively inexpensive they are an easy way to add some sparkle to your work. But, I wanted to have that same sparkle in my Stampin' Up! colors. So, I decided to come up with a recipe for my own SU! Stickle-like glitter glue.

Check out the following pictures:

Here is a heart from the new SU! Time Well Spent stamp set stamped in Staz On ink and colored with a Tempting Turquoise Marker and a blender pen dipped in Soft Sky.

Here is the same image, colored the same way, but finished off with Dazzling Diamonds applied with a 2-way glue pen. It adds some sweet shimmer, but isn't very precise or powerful.

Now, here is the same image a third time, colored the same way, but this time finished in my Stickles recipe. BLING!

The best part is that it's so easy to make and use!

You'll need the following "ingredients" to make your own glitter glue:

• Crystal Effects clear craft lacquer
• Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter
• SU! re-inker of your choice
• Small paintbrush
• Mixing container

I like to use empty Stampin' Store containers for single colors and empty SU! Eyelet containers for more than one color. Be sure to rinse your paintbrush often - if you let it dry you will have a pointy stick and not a paintbrush!

In your empty container mix equal parts Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds. Add a few drops (the more you add the deeper the color) of re-inker. Mix with a toothpick. Add more glitter if it's too runny or more Crystal Effects if it's too thick. It should be the consistency of glitter glue (or thinner if you want to cover a large area). Use your small paintbrush to apply your homemade Stickles to your stamped images.

Remember to wash your brush well after you are done. You can store your glitter glue in a container with a lid - it will last a few days if there is enough of it to stay wet. If you aren't going to use it, be sure to rinse your container well. Once it sets it is HARD to get off!

Have fun and experiment with different consistencies and uses. Let me know if you make some - I'd love to see your work!