My Paint of Choice is Rhinestones

Listen. I am of the opinion that very little is not improved with a little sparkle. It's one of the things Abby and I usually disagree on. Typically she's trying to dial back my bling finger, but I am here to tell you that I am so into diamond painting (aka bedazzling?) that it's basically my whole personality right now and even Abby's on board with this one.

I feel sure that it has something to do with the fact that we are both completely obsessed with artists like Ashley Longshore whose color stories and big, bold choices make our brains absolutely light up, and artists like Stef Ross whose art explodes with abstract movement and unexpected color relationships that feel both chaotic and precisely intentional.

All that AND I promise you it’s so meditative and calming and I don’t even think it’s from the glue fumes!  (real talk:  if you want to do this, ventilation is key. Those glue fumes are no joke. Crack a window, friend.)

Here’s how I do it—and how you can, too.

The Good Stuff: Rhinestones I Actually Use

If you want your work to look elevated, start with rhinestones that actually sparkle. No plastic, no dull finishes, no shortcuts.  Like, don’t go raid your kids’ crafts.  

• Glass flatback rhinestones in multiple sizes
  → These round glass rhinestones catch light like actual jewelry - and you really want a variety of sizes in the same color
• AB (Aurora Borealis) finishes for iridescent glow
  → I love this moody color
• Metallic + matte accents to add contrast and texture
  → These matte rhinestones are low-key magic when paired with brights
• Flat back pearls in a zillion colors and sizes - texture for days

 

you’ll see “hot fix” rhinestones when you’re searching.  A hot fix is a tool you can use to bedazzle clothes, etc and the hot fix rhinestones have heat activated adhesive on the backs.  You CAN use them here, but you don’t need them to be hot fix since we aren’t applying heat.  Just FYI.  

What I Bedazzle (And Why It Works)

This isn’t just slap-some-gems-on-a-thing energy (even though I am VERY into that energy, too).  But being intentional about your choice is key because this ish takes FOREVER.  So I choose pieces that want to be extra.

 

• Book covers — I love turning a book into a piece of modern art. Those beloved books that are too sentimental to donate but just sitting there collecting dust? Diamond painting is their glow-up moment. My girlfriend spent an entire evening bedazzling her spicy fairy romance novel, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and honestly?  It was a great choice.  For those steamy fairy fantasy books, a little extra sparkle just feels right. I did a rhinestone hamsa on the back cover of my daughter’s siddur (prayer book) cover that took me straight up 7 hours to complete and I have no regrets. 

 

 

 

 

• Little balsa wood boards — Fast, fun, and they look like a million bucks when framed in a nice shadow box.  Print a little picture or go rogue, you wild woman
• Anything you want!  I’m working on bedazzling my favorite tarot card - I just printed a larger version of it, glued it to a canvas, and got after it.

 

The Tools That Make It Click (Literally)

My setup is minimal, but it’s curated. Here’s what’s always on my table:

 

• Rhinestone glue with a precision metal tip — No clogging, no goop, dries crystal clear  E-6000 is the gold standard but I think the knockoff is just fine, too 
• Crystal picker pen — This is the one that is “Craft Lab Approved” and the one we include in our bling kits.  When I bedazzle with Parker, though - we are all about the same pen but make it rainbow!  I like these in particular bc they come with replacement heads and pointy tweezers! 

 

 

 

 

• Tiny trays — ESSENTIAL for shaking those diamonds right side up.  
• Storage - I keep them all in this Bino extra large drawer, usually in the case they came in, but if they come in a pouch, I empty them into a square of my FAVE organizer and lift them out when I need them with these little sketchy spoons.

 

Finishing Touches

 

• For wall pieces: Clear sealant spray keeps it locked in without dulling the shine
• For books and notebooks: I let the texture stay raw and tactile—just don’t toss it in your bag with keys
• I love me a good acrylic shadow box 

 

TL;DR:
Rhinestones are a vibe! Crack a window so you don't get high. Kids moved on from the Llama Llama Red Pajama but you can’t? Congrats, it's now art.