Lots of the materials that you
would use in a craft project are pretty; however, I think glitter is the
prettiest out of all of them. I mean, it’s
sparkly and comes in a million colors.
How much better can it get? Many
people think that same way I do as the use of glitter dates back 30,000 years
ago to the time of cavemen.
Scientists have found cave drawings that have been painted with mica, which
was used because of its reflective particles.
Glitter was used in the Hindu festival Holi, which celebrated the
beginning of spring. Powdered mica was a
part of the colored mixture thrown on those that participated in the festivities. It has also been discovered that women in Ancient
Greece painted their faces with a glittery white powder that was made from
lead. This often caused lead poisoning
and eventually death, so I wouldn't recommend doing that. Forms of glitter were also used to achieve
sparkly white faces in Ancient Rome and China; it was still in use in England
during the Renaissance.
Now, glitter is made out of tiny
flecks of stone, glass, or most commonly, plastic. Polyester is the most common ingredient in
modern glitter. In 1934, Henry Ruschmann
opened Meadowbrook Glitter in New Jersey, which is the world’s leading supplier
of glitter. They make their glitter out
of sheets of plastic or metallic foils cut into tiny pieces. This allows for more surface area on the
glitter, making it more sparkly and pretty.
In addition to the numerous ways to make glitter, there is a multitude
of types. It is classified based on the
way it is cut, meaning how fine and the shape, and whether it is opaque,
translucent, or transparent. It also
comes as glitter glue, spray glitter, brush on glitter, and liquid squeeze
on. Whichever glitter you choose to use,
it will be sure to add plenty of sparkle to your life.
Citations:
Pictures:
Glitter Pots: www.artglitter.com
I love glitter. It's really cool how it dates back to 300,000 years ago. I wouldn't want to put it on my face though. Do you know if there's a way to wear glitter without getting it everywhere? It's been described as the herpes of the craft world because it spreads so easily.
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