Crystal Effects {C’est Bon}

Crystal Effects is a dimensional glaze product sold by Stampin Up. I just love this product…it has so many uses! It comes in a small bottle that seems to go on forever. Crystal Effects is perfect for adding that little bit of shine and dimension to any project. With a nice long narrow nozzle, it is easy to apply to your project in just the right amount of product. Crystal Effects is also acid free and is perfect for using on your scrapbook pages. When used in relatively small quanities, Crystal Effects dries quite quickly allowing you to get on with your project. Another fabulous use for Crystal Effects is as an adhesive. It is perfect for gluing on small items to your design and it forms a nice strong bond.

Crystal Effects is a very inexpensive product, only $8.95 Cdn. I hear it is $6.25 US, (thanks Angel)! One bottle of Crystal Effects goes a very long way…mine lasted for almost three years and I’ve just purchased a new one. Crystal Effects can be purchased from any Stampin Up Demo. Visit their web-site, www.stampinup.com to find a demonstrator in your area. If this is not an option, there are other similar dimensional glaze products on the market you may want to look into. I have never had any experience with them so I’m sorry, I can’t help you with product names or recommendations.

Great Ideas for Crystal Effects…

• Use it on stamped images to make glass, water, even eyeballs =) realistic
• Glue on beads with it
• Repair stamps
• Repair household items with it 🙂
• Apply with paint brush to use as a sealer
• Adhere microbeads with it
• Sprinkle glitter on it
• Paint with it…add drops of ink from an ink refill to it. Paint onto acetate or other hard surface that it is hard to get ink to stick to
• Add it to flower petals to look like dew drops
• Create water puddles or raindrops
• Use it to make faux page pebbles
• Try a fun stamping technique such as Caught in Crystal or Tissue and Acetate

Quick tip: Cut the tip of your new bottle of Crystal Effects off carefully. You don’t want to large a hole or you may have difficulty applying the product. Another idea is to keep your nozzle down until completely done adding your glaze to prevent bubbles from forming.

My Mom gave me this darling little ornament. I treasure it because of the sentiment. My mom is one of my very best friends. I keep it on a little roll-up desk in my hallway. Unfortunately, it fell off and one of the flowers came off. I quickly repaired it with Crystal Effects….now it is as good as new! 🙂

 A quick little design using crystal effects and microbeads… it IS the Canadian Long Weekend after all! 🙂

Spot of Happiness

As I mentioned above…busy weekend with the family so when I pulled this together yesterday morning, I wanted something quick. I happened to notice this poor neglected set in the back of my stamp drawers and pulled it out. For the main section of the design, I stamped the little circles randomly in Certainly Celery, Cool Carribean and Cranberry Crisp. I just adore all these colors and am so sad to be seeing the last two of them go. They were part of SU’s In color line and will be replaced with 6 other brand new colors. The white stamped piece was matted with black cardstock and then adhered to a 4.25″ square cardbase of Cool Caribbean.

I then stamped the large circle with Cranberry Crisp and then stamped the small flower in the center in the Caribbean. I punched it out and then matted it with more circles punched with my EK Success punches. In the center of the flower, I added some Crystal Effects and then sprinkled on some microbeads. To tie it all together, I adhered some beautiful black velvet ribbon from Jacksonbelle across the design. Under it I stamped Happiness Always from the Happy Harmony set from SU’s sellebration promotion in black ink. Lastlly, after allowing the Crystal Effects a few minutes to dry, I adhered the circle over the ribbon to complete my project.

Please Note: I am not a SU demo or affilitated with any manufacturer or product that I feature in my C’est Bon entries. Crystal Effects is simply a product I love and feel is worth trying out.