Faux Winks! {Make your own glitter and shimmer pens!}

Hi friends! This week I was in experimentation mode. I have been asked a lot lately if I knew how to make a cheaper version of Wink of Stella pens. They are a glittery brush tip marker that is all the rage and quite pricey at $7 a pop! Here is my first try, they were very pretty but more like the Wink of Luna pens according to my viewers:

The real wink of Luna pens are nearly $10 a piece so to make a set of 12 for less than the price of one its awesome I think! But still I needed to go back to the drawing board to capture the glittery goodness of the Wink of Stella pens. Here is my second try. I showed these pens in action in yesterday’s video if you want to see them used on a project.

Disclaimer: I have never used either the wink of Stella or Wink of Luna pens so I can’t say if they are better or worse, all I can say is that I really like my homemade version and I had the stuff on hand already to make them. Keep in mind that you can refill your old wink of stella pens with ink and shimmer and make your own custom blends even if you would rather buy than try, there is no point is wasting a lovely water-brush.

Supplies for Wink of Luna fakes:

• Pack of mini Elmer’s paintastics (I paid $5 at Mardens)

• Blick liquid watercolors, I used gold, silver and pearl but if you have to choose pick pearl. You can also use fine mica powder like perfect pearls or Pearl-ex micro pearl. Use what YOU have.

Supplies for the Wink of Stella fakes:

• 3 pack of Royal water-brushes ($6 at AC Moore-cheaper with a coupon!)

• Future/Pledge floor wax or any light acrylic sealer

• Super fine or micro glitter

PS I tried adding the liquid first and then the glitter but it was a sticky mess, the glitter cling to the opening and edges of the brush. You can proceed however you like.

How do you think I did? Do you like making frugal alternatives to pricey art supplies or would you rather buy the real deal and be done with it. I like the messy experimentation myself! Thanks so much for stopping by and til next tiem happy crafting!