I get asked a lot what products I like and why, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite products that I use consistently.
First, let me say that I will pretty much use or try anything and have no loyalty to any one product, that is until I discover and I fall in love with how well a product works for me. It's that product that when you don't have it you feel like you lost an arm or hand!
Spray Sealer/clear coat-- I use to be a Krylon girl and do still love a lot of the Krylon products but for a top coat I LOVE PYM II also now labeled as CI SUPER SEAL. This product is amazing! It dries super fast, is non toxic, has awesome protectorates from UV and water/moisture damage. It will leave your piece the same finish as it started with so if you have something matte it will stay matte finish. I now seal everything with it to keep my pieces from fading. I have a mailbox I painted two years ago that is still as bright as ever, and normally it would have been faded after one summer in our intense valley heat!
3D Crystal Lacquer--this product I discovered several years ago as a happy accident of sorts. I had been using Diamond Glaze on a large project until I ran out of DG so I grabbed the bottle of 3D Crystal Lacquer I had bought put away and forgot about. Boy was I happy to discover that the problems I had with DG, cloudiness, bubbles and slow drying time, were gone when I used 3D! I also discovered that 3D Crystal Lacquer dried so much harder, it's the closest I've found to using a regular 2 part resin without all the mess!
Extra fine Glamour Dust - I've been using this fine iridescent glitter for the last 8 years and love it because of how fine it is. A little goes a long way! I was having a hard time finding it locally after all these years so I've started carrying it on OTM so I don't have to panic anymore! A little goes a long way and a bottle will last me a good long time.
Lets talk paper! Yep, I even have favorite printer papers! Epson Presentation Paper Matte (formerly Photo quality Inkjet Paper)--this is the light weight paper and comes 100 sheets a box. I also use Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte (formerly Matte Paper Heavyweight) this paper comes 50 sheets a box. You will get vibrant images printing on this paper. I just recently tried Staples brand of matte heavy weight photo paper and you can actually print on both sides whereas the Epson brand you can only print on one side.
Stay tuned for more products next week!
Aileen I so appreciate you taking the time to make these products known to us! I love your style and therefore want to pick your brain any opportunity I get!!! This is so fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the Crystal Lacquer and the Epson paper! Now, I have to check out that glitter...okay, how long have you been hiding that secret for me? *tapping foot pointedly* :)
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you taking the time and effort to make these recommendations. I just ordered the the PYM pump.
ReplyDeleteJoanne
Do you have a product suggestion for sealing paper items? Something that will dry easily in humid climates? Modge Podge gets so sticky down here.
ReplyDeleteHey, Aileen, thanks for the list. Some of these are among my favorites as well. I will say that Epson also has a double-sided heavyweight paper. It's called premium presentation paper, matte, double-sided. Also, I wondered if you would start selling PYM II under it's new name now that they are going retail.
ReplyDeleteKaren