Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals
- 8 July 2015
- and more
To Pick up the crystals, simply press the pin under the crystal so that the glue part sticks to the pin...
Making it easy to lift away from the packaging
I use a long corsage needle especially for this.
Carefully place it in the design
Without bruising even the most delicate petals
Adhering the tiny crystal exactly where you want it.
Best of all... you can use the crystals again and again!
Update: After using this technique for 11 years I can tell you that the one bit of the design technique that is without a doubt the most frustrating is this: of course clever plant material cleans itself to remove dirt and the tiny crystals will drop off over time.
Not so much a problem if you are willing to pick the crystals up as they drop but if you are adding the crystals to a competition design or a bridal design the crystals will (not maybe... it will) drop off after a while.
This is how I make sure the crystals stay in place: Set your trusty glue gun on its side on a plate to heat up. The plate is to catch any drops that drip.
Simply allow the glue to melt and release small drop...
Pick the crystal up with your corsage needle. Dip the back of the crystal into this tiny drop of hot glue...
And immediately place the crystal while the glue is still hot. Because it is such a tiny drop it is not scolding warm.
Here is a look over my shoulder.
To reuse the crystal soak them in a bit of water. The original tacky sticker of the crystal will remain and the hot glue simply peels off.
Which reminds me... if the crystal gets wet...
... for instance if it falls into your design:
Scoop any crystals up that fell into your design. Use the dry bristles of a paint brush to scoop up any crystals out of water... it works really well (even for tiny bits of debris that you want to pick up in the water)
Set the wet crystal back on the clear acetate liner to dry and it will be dry enough to reuse in no time.
Once dry you can again pick it up with the pin...
And place it... well the creative possibilities are endless! Just look below for 11 years worth of design Tutorials and Design inspiration.
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