Queen of Star Shine and Glimmer

Only a few hours left until the new year here on the west coast so here are one last post and project for 2012. A touch of whimsy to welcome 2013.

 

 

In the past my son and I have made paper or pipe cleaner crowns to celebrate New Year's eve. I was thinking of what I wanted to make this year when I became inspired to make a fancy frosted crown. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it and got started as soon as I got up this morning. I was so excited I even skipped my usual morning hot chocolate.

 

 

For the base I made a circle from a wire hanger then covered it with a strip of black poster board folded in half then stapled it to hold the wire in place.

 

Then I cut out various shapes from glitter card stock and glued them onto the base. The diameter of my mini crown is about 5 inches.

 

 

Each section is backed by another piece of glitter card stock to make it sturdier and also makes it look nice on the inside.

 

 

To give my crown a vintage frosted look I thinned white glue with water, brushed it onto the glitter paper and covered it with crystal glitter in two sizes. The large one gave it texture and muted the silver while the smaller one gave it extra fairy sparkle.

 

 

I also frosted a few glittery green stars.

 

 

 Next I sorted through my jars of baubles and trim.

Tried bits of this and that. Glued and unglued stuff.

Had a waffle for breakfast.

 

Until finally...

 

 

A frosted winter crown for the Queen of Star Shine and Glimmer.

 

 

In honor of my first word for 2013. Glimmer.

 

Glimmer, to me means a subtle glow, unsteady perhaps and sometimes faint but luminous and stunning in its own way. It is a sliver of hope in the darkness. Elusive and mesmerizing but never garish or overt.

 

When I was making my mini falling star bottles this Fall one of the words I cut out from the dictionary to make a label was glim-mer. Doesn't it sound magical? Like a light mist of stardust falling from a velvety night sky.

 

 

I like this word because I have never been the kind of person that constantly burns bright. My passion for anything waxes and wanes dramatically. In my relationships, my art, my whole life in fact, it's always a balancing of light and dark. When I try to stand out and shine darkness never seems to be too far behind. It is simply a part of who I am and the way things tend to turn out for me. I've learned that the brightest light can also burn.

 

 

 

So rather than say this is going to be my year to shine I'm going to embrace what I know about myself and find beauty in moments when I can simply BE. To be comfortable in the shadow of clouds as well as playing among the stars. To be content to whisper my own unsteady light. To glimmer.

 

 Which brings me to my second word. Gratitude

 

Gratitude for blessings, lessons and opportunities. Gratitude for what's good as well as what's not so good because they all make me who I am. Gratitude with a touch of Glimmer. I'll see where they take me in 2013.

 

(Oh and I'll try to post a picture with my crown on too.)

 

 

I wish you love, blessings and inpiration.

 

Happy Beautiful New Year!