Mixed media tutorial – gilding flakes

Trying out a mixed media technique is a great way to give your craft projects a new look! But if you’re new to the world of mixed media, it can be daunting to know where to start.

A great medium that we love to use is gilding flakes! These pots of high-shine, metallic flakes will give any papercraft project a beautiful, luminous glow. There are so many ways to use gilding flakes from creating jewel box bright backgrounds, shimmering borders and adding some sparkle to your cards, gift tags, boxes and more.

You can also give your stamped designs a glimmering, gilded effect and we’ve come up with an easy step-by-step guide to show you how!

We’ve used Spectrum Noir Luxury Gilding Flakes which come in a range of rich, opulent colour sets, so you can choose the perfect shimmering shade to match your style. And the Spectrum Noir Gilding Flake Tool Kit has specialist glue, sponges and an innovative dry ink pad, all designed to make your mixed media projects easy and fun!

You will need:

• Spectrum Noir Gilding Flakes
• Spectrum Noir Gilding Flakes Tool Kit
• An unmounted stamp
• Card in a dark colour
• Scrap card to use as a work surface
• Low Tack Tape
• Crafter’s Companion Rock a Blocks

Video guide to using gilding flakes:

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Take a sheet of dark coloured card, choose a shade that will make your gilding flakes really pop!
2. Lay your card on top of a larger piece of scrap card or paper.
3. Next, cut small pieces of Low Tack Tape and secure your coloured card to the scrap card.
4. Mount your stamp onto your Rock a Block.
5. Now, take the dry inkpad and glue from your Gilding Flakes Tool Kit.
6. Apply glue directly onto the inkpad.
7. Use the inkpad to spread glue across the stamp. Turn over your Rock a Block and, starting from the bottom, apply the stamp by pressing the block onto your card from ‘heel to toe’.
8. Gilding Flake time! Take your chosen pot of Gilding Flakes and sprinkle over your stamped, glued area.
9. Next, take a sponge from your Gilding Flakes Tool Kit and rub over the gilded area, burnishing the flakes.
10. Pick up your card and shake off the excess gilding flakes to reveal your beautiful, shimmering stamped design!
11. Sweep up any excess gilding flakes and return to the pot for future use.
12. Your gilded design is ready to turn into a card topper, box decoration and more!

Don’t forget, we love to see your finished makes! So, make sure to show us your finished creations on Facebook UK, Facebook USA, Twitter, Instagram UK, Instagram US, Pinterest UK or Pinterest US using the hashtag #crafterscompanion