Homemade Glitter Tutorial

Happy New Year Everyone!!

The trees are down, the closets in order, 

the house is spit-spot. 

All right so it isn't. 

 The trees ARE down though.

And I thought I'd share a little

after the holidays

tutorial

involving

what else...

broken glass.

You will need:

Christmas ball ornaments

Brown paper lunch bag

Large Ziplock Plastic Bag (preferably a freezer bag)

Something heavy.

Not a ball-peen hammer.  

I used a heavy pan.  

I'll explain why in a minute.

You can buy Christmas ball ornaments

really, really inexpensively now.

I bought some for fifty cents a box!

Any color works.

They must be glass balls.

This truly is not a craft idea for children.

Cover your work area

(kitchen counter)

with paper.

Remove balls from that swell 

plastic shrink wrapped holder

 they are tucked into.

This will be the only time you won't care

if they break or not.

Remove the metal lid.

Throw it away.

Unless you can think of a fun craft project

to make with it.

I tried.

Nothing.

Nada.

Zip.

Put the balls (I do 3 at a time but you can do more)

into the brown lunch bag like this:

Do not confuse this with your husband's lunch bag.

He will not be amused.

He will also not understand why you wouldn't

just go to Michael's with your 40% off coupon

and purchase Martha's glitter. 

OR 

Why you wouldn't just use the glitter that seems to

be multiplying like rabbits in your pantry.

Roll the top down on the bag.

Just like you do for your husband's 

or children's lunch bag.

Wait until your husband is taking a shower...

Oh, sorry.  That's just at my house.

Take a heavy pan and smash those puppies!

Well, not actual puppies.

The Christmas balls.

You will hear a satisfying snap.

Start smashing the heck out of 'em.

The pan works well because

of the wide surface.

You want to smash the balls into bits.

We'll grind them down even smaller

in a minute.

I take the pan and push down hard

while at the same time sort of rocking it back and forth.

At this point you will want to turn your tv or music up

REAL LOUD

It sounds a bit like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Ignore husband who again wanders through

wondering out loud why the tv is blaring 

and why you just don't buy glitter.

The tomb was in the pyramid at the end of a stagnant smelling hallway.
Indiana adjusted his hat and clutched the whip tighter to his side.  He ducked his head and started to venture down the ....

Kidding.

It's the paper bag sillies.

Look inside!

See!

Now, dump this into

 the large plastic

freezer bag.  

You could just start out 

with the freezer bag

but the little shards of glass 

sort of poke through and it makes

a mess.

Trust me.

This works better.

I also use the handle end of the pan

to smash the bits into

smaller bits.

Keep this up until it's about the size you want it.

I even stand the pan up like this

and roll it back and forth 

further smashing the shards

into little glittery pieces.

Tip the glitter in the bag to one side.

Snip the opposite corner off

like so:

It acts as it's own funnel!

My darling daughter taught me this

after I was transferring garlic powder 

from a plastic refill bag to a jar.

Well, she offered up this advice 

after said garlic powder

was all over the floor.

And you thought that perfume smelled bad?!

Woooooooh DOGGIES!

Anway - back to the glitter.

Fill up your little jar.

You can't tell from the pictures

but this stuff is very sparkly!

Looking at this picture I realize

that some of this  is kind of chunky.

It's a nice look 

but in all seriousness

this is

broken glass, people!

Please be careful.

Don't smoosh it into the glue with your hands.

But it is kind of fun to use.

And ever so fun to tell friends

that you make your own glitter.

The expression on their face

is

priceless.

And you know

there HAD to be a song.

Here it is!

Broken Glass by Annie Lennox

Have fun and be careful out there.