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 in my previous post, I recommend Plaid's line of FolkArt Enamels designed specifically for glass and ceramics.  A 2oz bottle sells for around $1.99.  They're available in most craft stores.

I'm using a glitter paint (FolkArt, 2798 Gold) and a metallic (FolkArt, 4129 Metallic Gold).

Remember to follow the instructions for the particular paint you're using. Also, before you begin, be sure to thoroughly clean your paperweight.

I started by applying a coat of glitter paint to the bottom surface of one of our Scalloped Paperweight Kits.  The glitter paint went on cloudy and dried clear.

Tip: As you're painting, keep a few slightly damp cotton swabs on hand to clean up your lines and wipe away any small mistakes.

After the glitter paint dried for an hour, I brushed on a coat of metallic, gold paint.  As you can see in the photo above, the metallic paint appears semi-transparent in some areas.  Another coat of metallic paint should give you complete coverage.

After the previous coat dried for an hour, I brushed on the second coat of metallic paint.

When you look at the paint through the top of the paperweight, the glitter sparkles against the metallic background.


CURE TIME

FolkArt enamel paints have a recommended cure time to make the paint top-rack, dishwasher safe.  It also makes the paint more durable.

The cure time for the paint I used is 21 days if you're air drying.  If you're like me, and you're not that patient, you can air dry the paint for one hour before baking it in the oven.

To cure the paint in the oven, I set the paperweight on a metal cookie sheet, placed it in a cold oven, and set the temperature to 350F.  After the oven reached temperature, I set my timer for 30-minutes.  When the time was up, I turned the heat off and allowed the paperweight to cool in the oven before I removed it.

Be sure to follow the instructions for the particular paint you're using.

After the paint has cured, you can personalize your paperweight as your normally would.  The self-adhesive bottom pad can be adhered directly to the painted rim.

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 techniques to achieve specific looks.

My next few blog posts will show you several examples of how you can use paint with PhotoWeights.

I recommend Plaid's line of FolkArt Enamels designed specifically for glass and ceramics.  These are available in most craft stores and sell for around $1.99 for a 2oz bottle.

I'm going to start with a simple project that involves a single shade of paint applied to our Elegant Oval Paperweight Kit.  The color is Lime Green (Plaid FolkArt Enamels 4138E). Although this paint has excellent coverage, you should plan to do this in no fewer than two coats with one hour of dry time in between.  The number of coats required will vary by paint brand and color.

As you're painting, keep a few slightly damp cotton swabs on hand to clean up your lines and wipe away small mistakes.

Remember to follow the instructions for the particular paint you're using.  Also, be sure to thoroughly clean your paperweight before you begin.

The first coat of paint (shown above) should be applied evenly to ensure you've covered all areas of the glass.  If you look closely (click the image to enlarge), you can see the paint appears semi-transparent in some areas.  This is perfectly fine.

This first coat is what will be visible through the top surface of the paperweight, so turn it over occasionally to check your work for air bubbles and skipped spots.  Wait one hour before applying a second coat, or according to your paint's directions.

The second layer of paint should give you full coverage.  If any spots need to be touched up, this can be done when the paint is mostly dry.

The photo above shows how the paint will appear when viewed through the paperweight.


CURE TIME

FolkArt enamel paints have a recommended cure time to make the paint top-rack, dishwasher safe.  Although you're probably not going to run your paperweights through the dishwasher, I cure my paint because it makes it more durable.

The cure time for the paint I used is 21 days if you're air drying.  You can also use the method I prefer which is to air dry for 1 hour before baking it in the oven.

To cure the paint in the oven, I set the paperweight on a metal cookie sheet, placed it in a cold oven, and set the temperature to 350F.  After the oven reached temperature, I set my timer for 30-minutes.  After a half-hour, I turned the heat off and allowed the paperweight to cool in the oven before I removed it.

Be sure to follow the instructions for the particular paint you're using.

After the paint has cured, you can personalize your paperweight as you normally would.  The self-adhesive bottom pad can be adhered directly to the painted rim.

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 start with one of the most popular styles, chalkboards.

You can find a variety of free chalkboard backgrounds and fonts online.  I'll provide you with the sources I used.  You can also search for additional resources on your own.

CHALKBOARD BACKGROUND

The foundation of this design is obviously a chalkboard background.  You can use a solid color (black, charcoal, or whichever color you prefer), or an image background like the one I used (below).  To download this background, click on it to enlarge and right click to save. (This may work differently on your computer.)

FONTS

Because chalkboard art is so incredibly popular, there are scores of fonts to choose from.  These range from beautiful, handwritten fonts to more bold and boxy typeface.

FontSpace.com has a very nice selection of free chalkboard fonts.  If you'd like to view them, go to http://fontspace.com/category/chalkboard.  (This is a third-party site that is not affiliated with PhotoWeights.)

THE DESIGN

You don't need expensive, complex software to put your designs together.  I used Microsoft Publisher.

After I placed the chalkboard background onto my Publisher page, I sized it to fit the display area of the Rectangle Paperweight Kit. This is easy to do with either a scale or cropping tool

After I typed the text and placed it over the background, I played around with a few different fonts before I chose DJB Skritch Skratch for the quote and Cambria for Pearl Bailey's name.  The hearts are from the font KG Flavor and Frames Six.  (The heart outlines are the letter 'e' and the solid heart is 'z').  The hearts were sized differently and rotated slightly.

After your text and decorative elements have been positioned on the background, print a draft copy of your artwork so you can place it under your paperweight to make sure you like the way it looks.  Each time you make a noticeable adjustment, print a draft to check it again until it's just right.

PRINTING

I printed my artwork on a B&W laser printer using plain paper on the fine setting.  This gives it a matte look that you sometimes lose on an ink jet printer.


Need Help?

If you have any specific questions about designing text for your paperweight, leave a comment below.  You can also email me directly at susan@photoweights.com.

A Pretty, Embossed Postcard from 1909 Looks Splendid in a Scalloped, Glass Paperweight

Antique postcards are among the easiest, most affordable things you can use to create beautiful, high-end paperweights that look like they came straight from the pages of Victoria or Country Living.

These century-old pieces of artwork often feature rich colors, embossed designs, and metallic detailing that truly look splendid under glass.

The postcard I used for this project was just $2.00.  When you add this to the price of the paperweight kit ($10.75), this finished paperweight cost only $12.75 to make.

For this project you'll need an antique postcard and a glass paperweight kit (PhotoWeights: Scalloped Paperweight Kit).   An optional template was also used.

It isn't necessary to use a template for this project.  However, you may find a template makes it much easier to mark the area you'd like to display in your paperweight.  Our templates are reusable and may be purchased on our website (PhotoWeights: Display Area Templates).

Place the template opening over the desired location and lightly trace around the artwork with a pencil.  Cut out your artwork with a pair of good scissors by following the line you traced.

The photo above shows the area of the postcard I marked and cut out.  You can see the embossed flowers and metallic gold circling the Best Wishes seal.  There's also a metallic gold swag in the background.

Remove the protective film from the self-adhesive bottom pad.

Place your artwork onto the adhesive side of the mounting board and press down to adhere.

Take a minute to clean your paperweight with streak-free glass cleaner to remove any dirt, finger prints, or smudges.  Also be sure the bottom surface is free of dust.

Place the mounting board (artwork facing down) into the recessed area on the underside of the paperweight.

Remove the protective film to expose the adhesive on the bottom pad.

Place the bottom pad on the underside of the paperweight.

The finished paperweight will add some color and charm to the lucky owner's desk.

Washi Tape: Add a Finishing Touch to Your Paperweights

Washi tape has been emerging in popularity over the past few years.  When I attended the CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) Show in Anaheim, CA, in 2014, only a few brands seemed to carry it.  This year it was everywhere!

In addition to Scotch® and Duck®, companies best known for their tape, many smaller companies in the creative industry have also introduced their own washi tape designs to coordinate with their collections. Two of my favorites include Tim Holtz and Graphic 45.  Little B, Bo Bunny, We R, and American Crafts have also thrown their hats into the washi tape ring.


If you have no idea what washi tape is, you're not alone.  It actually hasn't been around for very long.  I would describe it as being similar to paper tape used in first-aid.  It's smooth, thin, flexible, and very strong.  It's available in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and widths.


Wrapping Your Paperweights
with Washi Tape

Washi tape can only be used to wrap the outside of a few of our paperweight styles; the Round, Large Round, and Heirloom Square.  Our other paperweights have tapered sides that gradually widen from the top surface to the base, preventing the tape from laying flat.

I recommend applying some clear glue where the ends of the tape meet to prevent the tape from lifting.   Washi tape isn't permanent, so it's not practical for paperweights that will be picked up and handled on a regular basis.

Personalizing Paperweights With Names, Monograms, and Text

Many of our customers have asked for a little guidance when it comes to personalizing paperweights with a name, monogram, or other text.  These basic, step-by-step instructions are an excellent starting point.  They can be also be modified in several different ways.

In most cases, the first step in designing a paperweight with text is to create a layout using a desktop publishing program.  If you don't have publishing software, a word processor or image editor with text capabilities can also be used.

Our website includes the display area measurement for each of our paperweight kits.  Using a shape or drawing tool with your ruler visible, draw a shape (circle, oval, rectangle, etc.) that is the same size as the paperweight's display area.  For this project I'm using the Elegant Oval Paperweight Kit (PhotoWeights: Elegant Oval)  which includes a smaller display area in the center.  I've drawn two oval shapes.  The outside oval is the size of the mounting board.  The inside oval marks the actual display area.

I'm going to print my name onto decorative paper, so the name is all I'll print.  If you wish, you can place a background image or solid color behind your text so it prints as ready-to-use artwork.

I deleted both outlines prior to printing the name because I'm going to position a template over my artwork to create a cut line.

I printed a test copy so I could check to make sure the name fits well within the paperweight.

Because I'm printing the name onto uncoated, textured scrapbooking paper, I need to print this using my ink jet printer.  Toner doesn't adhere well to textured paper.  Many decorative papers have coatings that can damage laser printers.  If you're using a laser printer, use only laser-safe paper.

I taped a piece of scrapbook paper to a sheet of letter sized paper because my printer has a difficult time recognizing odd sized pages.  I recommend leaving 1-2" of space at the top of the page to allow room for the tape.  This will also help the page feed properly into your printer.

Be certain there are no adhesive areas of tape exposed, including pieces that may have gone beyond an edge of the paper.  You don't want any tape to catch inside your printer.

All printers are different.  Consult your user's guide.

The name was printed using an "automatic" paper setting on the highest quality setting possible.

I used a template (PhotoWeights: Display Area Templates) to draw a pencil line that will act as my cutting guide.

The name was cut out with a pair of scissors.  If any traces of the pencil line will appear in your paperweight, gently remove them with an eraser.

Place the printed paper onto the adhesive side of your mounting board and press all over to ensure an even bond.

Place the board face-down into the recessed area on the bottom of your paperweight.  Be sure to clean the paperweight with glass cleaner prior to completing this step.  Also be sure the bottom surface of the glass if free of smudges and dust particles.

Finish by applying the self-adhesive bottom pad to the underside of the paperweight.


This step-by-step guide can also be used to create monogram paperweights and paperweights with poetry, quotes, and other text.

If you have any questions, or if you need help with your particular paperweight project, please feel free to contact me directly at susan@photoweights.com.

DIY Retro Telephone Dial Dome Paperweight

The idea for a rotary dial paperweight came to mind last week when I was going through a box of old, forgotten things and found a rotary dial phone I purchased years ago.  I thought it would be the perfect throwback design for the modern desk.

If you'd like to use the .jpg image I worked with, you can download it here from our website.  The artwork may be sized to fit the paperweight style of your choice.

I used the Large Dome Paperweight Kit for this project because I thought the magnification qualities would bring a lot of interest to the design.  In the photo above, you can see how the Large Dome magnifies our instruction card.

The Large Dome has a mounting board that measures 3 1/4" in diameter.  Because of the shape of the paperweight, there is an area toward the edge that will not be visible.  I sized the dial smaller than the mounting board and added a black background in the "void" area.

My artwork was laid out in MS Publisher and printed onto quality photo paper using my inkjet printer.  If you don't have a publishing program, a word processing program with drawing capabilities and an image editing feature should work nicely.

The adhesive mounting board (included with each paperweight kit) was placed on the reverse side of the printed artwork.

Tip:  Holding the artwork up to a bright window is an easy way to see the image from the back, allowing you to place the mounting board in the perfect location.

Any areas of the paper that extended beyond the edge of the round mounting board were trimmed with scissors.

The mounting board (with artwork attached) was placed face down onto the bottom of the paperweight.

To finish, I covered the base of the paperweight with the adhesive bottom pad (also included with each paperweight kit).

Tip:  To keep a dome paperweight level while applying the bottom pad, place the paperweight on a bag of dried beans or popcorn kernels.


I hope this project will inspire you to create your own designs, turning ordinary photos into extraordinary accessories for your desk.

Turn a Mary Engelbreit Greeting Card Into the Most Adorable Paperweight

Mary Engelbreit is one of my favorite artists because her designs are so warm and charming.  This is why I'm such a huge fan of American Greetings' line of cards featuring her artwork.

When I was shopping for Valentine's Day earlier this month, this sweet card caught my eye.  I knew it would make the most adorable paperweight.

The list of supplies for this project is very small.  I used the Large Rectangle Paperweight Kit, a Mary Engelbreit card, and some double-stick foam tape.  I also used something PhotoWeights just introduced, a display area template.  These templates are reusable and available for just 50-cents each.

My challenge with the greeting card was the fact that there were several inches of space between the little girl and the heart-shaped balloon (as you can see in the photo above).  I easily solved this problem by cutting out the balloon and placing it closer to the girl.  The balloon was attached with double-stick foam tape, raising it about 1/8" above the background.  This transformed it into a dimensional embellishment

Using the display area template, I traced a cut line around the area of the image I wanted to appear in the paperweight.   I recommend using a pencil for this step.

Cut around the outside of your traced line with a pair of good scissors.  Any visible portions of the line may be gently erased.

Adhere your artwork to the adhesive mounting board that comes with each paperweight kit.  This board is the same size as the template, so your artwork should fit perfectly if you cut just outside the trace line.

The heart balloon was carefully cut out with a pair of good scissors.  I placed a square of double-stick foam tape on the back, far enough from the edges that it would not be visible from the front.

The heart-shaped balloon was placed onto the artwork from the card, lining up the string.  Because this string extends all the way to the edge of the card, the balloon had to be placed close to the edge to cover it.

Any materials you place on the mounting board that extend beyond the edge can simply be trimmed.  (This is the top part of the balloon).

The mounting board (with artwork attached) was placed face-down into the recessed area on the bottom of the paperweight.

To finish, the base of the paperweight was covered with the self-adhesive bottom pad that's also included in each paperweight kit.

The next time you find yourself walking down the greeting card aisle of your local store, spend a few moments looking through the hundreds of greeting card designs that are available.  Which ones will you want to capture in a paperweight?