Kids and Glitter: 10 Tips from Freckles Crafts

This has to be the best picture I've ever seen!  Kids and glitter.  Wow, it can get messy!!

source

When we think of making a project with children many of us are terrified at the thought of using glitter.  The best part is all kids love glitter!  Something about that magical sparkle is amazing to them.  We all know it can be great fun or a huge mess....or maybe both.  Luckily my great friend, Rebecca of Freckles Crafts, just put together an awesome list of tips for working with glitter.  It's a short list packed full of everything you need to know before starting a glitter project with your little ones.

Dying to get your hands on Rebecca's tips?  These are pulled directly from her 10 Tips For Working With Glitter post:

1. Apply baby powder to your hands before using glitter and it will not stick.  This also works great to remove it from your little ones hands and face when they are done crafting!
2. Glittering small objects can be tough for little hands.  Instead of trying to fumble with those little pieces try this method instead:  use a paint brush to spread glue evenly over small pieces.  Fill a small Ziploc sandwich bag with glitter and drop the glued pieces in the bag.  Gently shake until all of the pieces are covered with glitter!
3. Work over a tray to catch loose glitter and pour the extra back into the jar.  You can purchase a special tray with a funnel on one end at most craft stores, or make one yourself by cutting the corner off of a shoe box lid.
4. Place glitter in a clean spice jar for the child to use instead of giving them the full (typically large) container that glitter comes in.  It will save on your glitter and be easier for the child to handle.
5. Did your child get more glitter on the floor than their project?  No problem!  Grab a baby wipe and it will work like a glitter magnet on your countertop and hard floors!
6. Allow the glue on your project to dry completely before shaking off excess glitter.  More glitter will remain on your project, and you will avoid the mess of glue falling on your work surface.
7. Hate that glitter gets all over your child’s clothes?  Grab your lint roller!  It will pick up any loose glitter on clothing, and even carpet!
8. If you can’t find the perfect shade of glitter you can mix two colors together in a separate bottle.  This is a great tip for kids who want to get really creative with their craft project!
9. Save your glitter projects for a nice day when you can craft outside!  No mess to clean up and worst case scenario your lawn has more sparkle.
10. If I still haven’t convinced you to give the loose glitter a try, then a great alternative is glitter glue.  You will get a similar effect without as much cleanup!

Thanks for the awesome tips Rebecca!

Have fun working on your next glitter project!

May Link Party: Glitter

Last month we had so much fun with our bright colors link party.  We've decided to have another themed party for the month of May.  This month we want to see all the fun you're having with glitter.  You have until Tuesday, May 29 to show us your projects using glitter.  We will be featuring one project each week and then pick our most favorite during our "glitter week" series.

Here are a couple of linky party rules:

1. Become a follower of A Couple of Craft Addicts

2. Only link up projects you have done, no link parties, giveaways, or shops.

That's it! Make sure you check out other links and spread the love.

NOW WOW US!

Sparkly Shoes - an Easy Fix to Scuffed Toes

My daughter has been on her scooter a few too many times in her cute red ballet flats.  I love these shoes so much and was so sad to see the toes scuffed.  Today I managed to fix her shoes with some painters tape, Mod Podge, and Martha Stewart glitter.  My daughter loves the makeover too!

The toes were almost completely ripped out of these shoes when we started.

I used blue painters tape to tape off the toes of each shoe.

Then I applied a thick coat of Mod Podge.

I sprinkled on enough glitter to completely cover the Mod Podge.

The glitter dried for a couple of hours and then I applied one more coat of Mod Podge.

A few hours later I peeled off the tape to reveal our new sparkly shoes.

No more holes in the toes!

My daughter was excited to go and try out her new shoes.

I'm linking this post here.