It's official. I've come out of the "Art Closet" to confess my love of glitter and all things that sparkle. I've loved glitter ever since I can remember and as soon as the PVA glue and pots of glitter come out of the cupboard I am transported back to my childhood in the 70s, when activity time with the sparkly stuff used to feel like heaven.
It's this time of year when glitter really comes into its own, when making Christmas cards and tree decorations is not complete unless it is adorned with the twinkly glitter. It is purely magical.
Okay it is messy and I hear many a story about households where glitter is officially banned. "Bah humbug!"
When we indulge in glitter days, I enjoy the cleaning up process which actually leaves my laminate floors sparkling. Not in the traditional domestic sense (aka gleaming), you'll understand, but more in the creative yet literal sense, featuring a subtle layer of shininess that catches the light and reflects a lovely colour.
Bizarrely, my love of glitter is not just limited to the visual delights. When I think of glitter, I can't help reminiscing back to the music of the 1970s and the impact of glam rock.
Another key milestone that comes to mind is one of my first albums which was bought as a Christmas present to accompany my first turntable when I was just 9. The shiny and sparkly album cover of Rock n' Roller Disco left a memorable image that has stayed with me. The album itself was as much fun as the cover, with hits such as Video Killed the Radio Star, I Don't Like Mondays and Back of my Hand.
Coming back to the subject of Glitter, according to Wikipedia it was invented by Henry Ruschmann at his Hereford Cattle farm in Bernardsville, New Jersey, USA. Some speculate that it was invented in 1934. Others claim that it was invented soon after World War II. Today the company that Ruschmann founded Meadowbrook Inventions is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of glitter and has been for over fifty years and claims to produce 20,000 types of glitter.
For a glitter lover the one thing that concerns me is the eco-friendliness of the product. I can only balance that concern by the application of moderation.
Who am I kidding....when you are a glitter addict, it's hard to give up!
