The messy fun of glitter!

Mr. Peacock lived on the top floor of a sixth floor walk-up (next door to the original Sullivan Street Bakery location) in Soho for years and once hosted a big tea party in my flat. It was really an excuse to drink cocktails with lots of friends, but with the addition of homemade little scones, tarts and tea sandwiches. This apartment was a modified railroad flat, with the bathtub in the kitchen. You had to walk through my bedroom to use the toilet. It was in a separate little room with a small window, that you could see the World Trade Center through. An acquaintance of mine, Missy, was exiting the little toilet room (after a few cocktails) and had glitter all over her...and glitter all over the bathroom. She then proceeded to track glitter through my entire apartment—bedroom, kitchen and living room. "What happened," I gasped! Missy nonchalantly replied, "Oh, a bottle of glitter broke in my purse, sorry..." "Why do you even have a bottle of glitter in your purse?" I asked. Missy said, "Oh, ya never know when you might need it." I wasn’t mad, or actually I couldn’t be mad, because Missy was such a sweet person and so creative and crafty. She just loved glitter! And she also made amazing collages too.

I used glitter to make the place cards this Thanksgiving. They were super easy to make, I just used the tip of the glue bottle to “write-out” each name on a dried leaf. I used a square baking pan, with a piece of construction paper in it as my “glitter box.” After I put the glue on the leaf, I would put the leaf in the “glitter box” and sprinkle the glitter liberally over the glue and wait a few minutes. Then I gently tap the leaf to remove the excess glitter into the "glitter box."

Here's my "glitter box." At the end it's very easy to clean up—just pour the excess glitter back in the glitter bottle.

You could use this same technique to put a name or monogram on a small wrapped gift.


1) Draw your design with glue, and let it set for a minute or two.
2) Cover all of the glue liberally with glitter (over your glitter box)
3) Let dry for about 10 minutes and then tap away excess into your glitter box.
4) Allow to completely dry for a few hours before rubbing or stacking other packages on top of your new glitter monogram.

This Martha Stewart "8-Pack Glittered Bird Note Card Kit" would make handsome cards for the holidays.

Everything you need is included in this sweet little kit: 8 cards and envelopes, 5 containers of glitter, paper, 8 double sided bird sticks (no glue needed)….and it’s only $9.97. You can buy it here.

Mr. Peacock Gocco printed this little bird in a top hat, chirping a song, for a holiday card a few years ago. It’s hard to see in the photo, but I sprinkled super fine silver glitter over the ink while it was still wet, just to add a little sparkle. The glitter also added a "vintage" feeling to the cards. Then I tapped the excess glitter away into my "glitter box."

This regal bird is already glittered, and it would look nice nestled in a bow, atop a big, wrapped gift, buy it here.

Martha Stewart has an amazing color palette of glitters to add some sparkle and fun to leaves, birds, whatever you like...but remember it can be very messy too, if you’re not super careful. I vacuumed glitter in my Soho apartment for years, after Missy’s spill. I think I even had little glitter bits in my bed, so make sure you use a "glitter box." Happy glittering..."ya never know when you might need it!"