Layering Glitter and Metallic Paints to Create Paperweights with Sparkling Borders

This is the second post in my series on painting PhotoWeights to achieve a variety of different looks for your glass paperweights. In my first post, Add a Little Color to Your Paperweights with Enamel Paint, I started with a simple project that involved a single color.  Today I'll be using two different paints; a clear paint with flecks of glitter and a metallic paint.  I love the result when these are layered. As I mentioned...

Add a Little Color to Your Paperweights With Enamel Paint

Applying paint to the underside of your paperweights can change the appearance of your finished design entirely.  You can paint the glass to coordinate with the decor of your office.  You can also choose a color that compliments the artwork or photograph being captured. Painting your paperweights can be as simple and straightforward as using a single color, like the example pictured above.  You can also use decorative painting...

A Modern Spin on a Vintage Mother's Day Pin

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to create a paperweight for our Design Blog that put a modern spin on a classic 1950s Mother's Day pin. Some lipstick red paint and a scrap of toile print paper are all it took to give this pressed metal relic the character it...

Personalizing Paperweights with Text: A Family Recipe with Grandma's Photo

Many families have recipes that have been passed down from mother to daughter (or son) for two or more generations.  They're often written on index cards with corners and edges that have been lovingly worn and tattered throughout the years.  Some have been stained by a drop or two of vanilla, or even scorched from a slight mishap. These written family treasures are often stored in a recipe box or scribbled on the inside cover of a cookbook. ...

Personalizing Paperweights with Text: Woodgrain Background with Handwritten Font

This is the second blog post in my series on designing and laying out text for your paperweights. Today I've used a woodgrain image for my background and added some text in one of my favorite fonts, Brannboll Smal.  I also incorporated some red hearts to add some much needed balance and color.  The hearts also manage to bring the message to life. Here's how the design came together. As I've mentioned in the past, you don't need...

Personalizing Paperweights with Text: Chalkboard Background & Fonts

Since I started PhotoWeights more than 15 years ago, I've answered thousands of questions from customers who needed a little advise to help them complete a design.  One of the most frequent dilemmas is how to lay out text when you want your paperweight to showcase quotes, names, and special sayings. I thought I'd do a series of blog posts that show a variety of ways you can easily design and arrange text for your paperweights.  We'll...