Glitter Paste for Sparkle and Dimensional Effects
This product is part of Part 2 of the Playing with Gels & Pastes series, where I explore the individual gels and pastes included in my experiments.
Little Birdie Sparkle Paste is a shimmery, water-based paste with an iridescent sheen, designed to add sparkle and dimension to craft and mixed media projects.
According to the product information, it can be used on surfaces including paper, wood, metal, glass and chipboard and is best applied with a brush or palette knife.
I tested two colours, Whipped Cream and Passion Pink, as part of my Getting to Know Your Gels & Pastes experiments. Testing both was particularly interesting because it showed how the colour of the paste can affect the finished result of some techniques.
Characteristics
Little Birdie Sparkle Paste has a medium-thick consistency, with the glitter adding body to the paste.
The two colours dry differently. Whipped Cream dries clear with a glittery sheen, while Passion Pink retains its pink colour and dries with a pink glittery shimmer.
Both have a glossy, sparkling finish with a slightly rough texture created by the glitter particles.
Once dry, the paste remains flexible, making it suitable for projects where the surface may need to bend.
Ways to Use Sparkle Paste
Create Sparkling Stencilled Designs
This is where Sparkle Paste really shines!
It works beautifully through stencils, creating a dimensional design with plenty of sparkle. The glitter gives the paste enough body that it doesn’t easily spread underneath the stencil, helping to create a defined pattern.
Create an Ink Resist
Sparkle Paste can also be used to create an ink resist, although the colour you choose makes a difference to how clearly you can see the effect.
The resist created with Whipped Cream showed beautifully because the paste dries clear. Passion Pink will also resist the ink, but the effect will be less obvious against the coloured glitter paste.
Both Distress Ink and Distress Oxide Ink could be blended over the dried paste.
Paint Over It
Sparkle Paste can be painted over once dry, although the original colour and glitter will affect the final colour you see.
This is particularly noticeable when working with a coloured paste such as Passion Pink.
Use It as an Adhesive
Surprisingly, Sparkle Paste also worked well as an adhesive.
The paste successfully adhered the button and the sand.
However, just because something can work doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best product for the job.
The glitter and colour of the paste affected the appearance of the sand I adhered, so I would consider the finished effect before choosing Sparkle Paste purely as an adhesive.
Heat Embossing and Foiling
Sparkle Paste also worked for heat embossing and foiling because of its adhesive properties.
Again, the existing glitter and colour affected the finished appearance. The heat embossing worked, but its appearance was influenced by the glitter and colour underneath.
Foil adhered successfully, although the effect didn’t stand out as much against an already sparkling surface.
Tint the Paste
Both colours could be tinted successfully.
When I added yellow ink to Whipped Cream, the paste became yellow. Adding the same yellow ink to Passion Pink resulted in an orange colour because the yellow mixed visually with the original pink paste.
This means you can customise Sparkle Paste, but remember that the original colour will influence the colour you create.
Silicone Moulds
Both Whipped Cream and Passion Pink worked in silicone moulds.
They produced flexible, hollowed-out embellishments, with the glitter creating a beautiful sparkling finish.
My Favourite Uses
Little Birdie Sparkle Paste
- Sparkling stencil designs
- Adding glitter and dimension
- Ink resist, particularly with Whipped Cream
- Creating sparkling moulded embellishments
- Custom colours
It can also be used for:
- Silicone moulds
- Foiling
- Adhering loose materials
- Painting over
However, these wouldn’t necessarily be the reasons I would reach for Sparkle Paste because the existing glitter can compete with or alter the effect you’re trying to create.
I would reach for this when: I specifically want sparkle and dimension, particularly for a stencilled design. For smaller amounts, I often prefer to create my own sparkle paste using gel medium and glitter.
My Tip
If you only need a small amount of sparkle paste, try mixing some fine glitter into gel medium instead of opening a full tub.
I find that my tubs of Sparkle Paste tend to dry out faster than many of my other pastes. Unless I’m working on a large project, I would rather make just the amount I need by adding glitter to gel medium.
You can customise the glitter and colour to suit your project, use what you need and reduce waste at the same time.
Explore More
- Getting to Know Your Gels & Pastes
See how I tested the different gels and pastes in my stash and what I wanted to discover. - Ways to Use Gels & Pastes
Explore which gels and pastes worked for stencilling, ink resist, adhesives, moulds, heat embossing, foiling and more.
PLEASE NOTE: All the opinions are my own. None of the products have been sponsored.