Hey everyone. Today you'll learn why I seal every jar of glitter and embossing powder, every single time.
I wouldn't store glitter and embossing supplies unsealed. I know why it tempts people. The little bag is right there. The jar lid is sitting loose on the table. You are done for the day, and snapping everything shut feels like extra work.
I get it, folks. Glitter looks harmless in the jar. Embossing powder looks calm and quiet too. Y'all, those two are the sneakiest supplies in the whole craft room. They are just waiting for one good tip.
The drawer that sparkled for months
I learned this one by opening a drawer. I had a small jar of fine glitter. The lid was not on tight. I thought it was. It was not.
That jar tipped over inside the drawer. One tip. That was all it took. Every tool in that drawer came out sparkly. Every scrap of paper sparkled too. The ruler sparkled. The scissors sparkled. I sparkled.
For months after that, glitter showed up everywhere. It showed up on cards I had not glittered. It showed up on fabric too. Glitter travels, folks. It travels on your hands and your sleeves.
Embossing powder taught me the quieter lesson. I left a jar loose in a bin. The powder picked up moisture over time. It clumped in little balls. When I used it, it did not melt smooth. It left rough spots where clean lines should have been.
Nothing was wrong with my heat tool. The powder had been stored wrong. The joke was on me. I saved about 10 seconds skipping the lid. I paid with a whole drawer cleanup.
Why sealed matters so much
Glitter is tiny, light, and full of static. A loose lid is not a lid. A folded bag is not a seal. If air can move it, a drawer bump can spread it.
Embossing powder is fine powder too. It spills just like glitter. It also hates moisture. Damp powder clumps first. Then it melts uneven. You will not know until your good piece is under the heat.
Sealed and labeled fixes both problems. The seal keeps it in. The label keeps you from opening the wrong jar to check the color. Every open to peek is one more chance to spill.
What I do instead
First, I use sealed, labeled containers. Screw-top jars. Snap lids that really snap. I press the lid and give it a little tug. If it moves, it is not closed. That tug test takes 2 seconds.
Second, I label the lid and the side. Color name on top and front. For embossing powder, I melt a small sample on black and white paper. Powder looks different on dark and light. That swatch saves me from opening 6 jars to find 1 color.
Third, I keep all of them inside a tray or bin. One tray. One home. If a jar tips inside that bin, the spill stays in the bin. It does not coat a whole drawer. I like a bin with dividers. Small jars sit still instead of rolling.
Fourth, I open one color at a time. Just one. I open it over a clean sheet of paper. I fold that paper in half and crease it good. That crease makes a little funnel. I tap extra powder off my project onto that sheet. Then I funnel it straight back into the jar. Almost nothing wasted.
Fifth, I close it before I open the next one. Lid on. Tug test. Back in the tray. It adds maybe 1 minute to a project. That minute saves you an hour of cleanup.
Sixth, I store the tray dry and out of sun. No damp corner. No hot windowsill.
Here is your permission beat, friends. Your tray does not have to look pretty. It does not have to be perfect. A shoebox with good jars beats a fancy shelf with loose lids. You're your own worst critic anyway. Take your time. It's not a race.
You have options here too. Little shakers work great for glitter you pour often. Small screw-top jars work great for powders. Clear jars let you see the color fast. My preference is clear, sealed jars standing in one divided tray. But your system can work just as well. Completely up to you.
Don't take my word for it — read this:
How to Use & Organize Glitter — Craft Your Happiness shows how moving loose glitter out of tiny bags and into clear, sealed shaker containers makes it easier to use, easier to put back, and far less messy to store.
Shop the Super Satchel Double Deep with Accessory Tray & Dividers at Linda's Electric Quilters.
Thanks for spending a little time with me today. Seal the jar. Label the lid. Open one color at a time. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
— Corey, Chief Quilter, Linda's Electric Quilters
