Product Review: Lindy’s Stamp Gang Embossing Powder, Sprays, Color Shots

Embossing Powder MSRP: $3.99

Color Spray MSRP: $4.99

Color Shots MSRP: $4.99

Product Description

Lindy's Stamp Gang offers a wide range of coloring mediums with a shimmery two-tone effect.  The company makes products to include embossing powders, sprays, stains, and their most unique product, Color Shots. 

In Use

Lindy's Stamp Gang has been gaining in popularity very quickly, particularly among those who do altered items of distress or grunge.  As I was new to the entire line of items, I decided to get an assortment of what Lindy's Stamp Gang had to offer.  I purchased samples of their embossing powder in a light and dark color, some of their glimmer sprays, and their Color Shots. 

Embossing Powder

Good embossing powder is hard to come by; good embossing powder that offers a shimmery two-tone glimmer is even more difficult to come by.  I was most excited about the embossing powders.  In my little sampler I had a slightly light and translucent green, and rich dark blue.  I liked both, but found that I preferred the dark blue when doing regular embossing and the green was amazing when combined with distressing techniques.  I used my Tim Holtz Distress Inks with the embossing powders and found that the Lindy's embossing powder and the distress inks did not mix well together.  However, I had beautiful and consistent results with VersaMark Embossing Ink.  Once the embossing powders were set, true to their claim, they had a shimmery two-tone color that would change depending on the type of light hitting the embossing powder.  I also found that the embossing powder leaves a shimmery halo even when you chalk your surface and attempt to wipe it after setting the embossing powder.  This "halo" was more apparent in the dark color than the light.  Although I found this desirable when distressing after adding the embossing, for straight embossing techniques I found this undesirable and rather distracting. 

Color Sprays

The color sprays offered by Lindy's come in several different types.  For this review I used their Starburst line.  It should be noted that they have a walnut ink line and a line that is designed for use with black cardstock.  The similarity between all of these lines is their claim of two-tone shimmer.  One unique feature about the Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays is that they come as a dry powder in a spray bottle.  Once they arrive, you add hot water to the bottle, shake well and are ready to go. 

The first thing that I did was compare Lindy's sprays to some of the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists I had on hand.  The most obvious difference between the two is that Lindy's shimmer is a darker or lighter tone of the same shade offering more shimmer in a subtle color change.  Additionally, once the Lindy's color spray had set and dried, adding other wet mediums over the top resulted in less color bleed than the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists.  Another added benefit is that you can shake the Lindy's bottles as much as desired without getting bubbles in your sprayer or clogging.

Here is a comparison of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (center) and two colors of Lindy's Stamp Gang Starbust color sprays (left and right).

And this is a close-up of the glimmer in the Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst color sprays.  As you can tell, the glimmer is more subtle but just as glimmery without the metallic sheen.

Color Shots

The Color Shots were by far the most interesting and unique aspect of the Lindy's Stamp Gang line.  The Color Shots are designed for you to add to any medium desired - water, gel paste, other acrylic mediums, molding paste, the sky is the limit.  I chose to mix my Color Shots with some acrylic molding paste for a mixed media project.  The mixing in their small 2-ounce jar was a bit difficult but resulted in a rich sparkly green that I immediately fell in love with.  I used this medium in a mixed media project and found that I lost a lot of the shimmer when I mixed up the powder into my medium of choice.  Also, I found that the color would bleed when moistened again.  Despite this, the color remained vibrant and beautiful with a very subtle hint of shimmer.

This is a photo of the Color Shots color once it had been mixed with some acrylic molding paste.

Tips and Techniques

I found that all of the products used were best suited for distress, grunge, and mixed media projects.  However, this may be a personal taste rather than a specific use.  For me the most beautiful and unique results occurred when the items were layered together and then distress ink was added on top (especially with the embossing powders).  The Color Shots, being the most unique item that Lindy's offers, can be used in limitless ways because you can mix it with any medium of your choice. 

Examples

My first example is an art journal page.  I used the Lindy's Starburst Color Spray and the molding paste. 

This next sample is of the embossing powders, using an intricate stamp.

Some other ways to use these mediums are as follows:

• Color and alter a wooden frame, cigar box, or other wooden surface.
• Use on a canvas.
• Layer the different products on tags and other paper surfaces.
• Use to color flowers or add shimmer.
• Use as the base of art journaling pages or other mixed media projects.
• Use to dye a seam binding or other fabric.