Hairspray makes an excellent fixative for glitter. Just a light coating will do the job. It does not significantly reduce the sparkle.
If I want more glitter on the ground sheets of a snow scene I sprinkle on some glitter than use hairspray to fix it in place. Works to add sparkle glitter to cotton batting for roofs too.

If you can find it get the bleached cotton rolls from the drugstore first aid aisle and you can use that for putting on house roofs. Unlike the cotton batting from the fabric stores it is not bonded and it is bleached pure white so it is an authentic replacement material for vintage pieces.
[url]http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/first-aid-sterile-absorbent-cotton-roll/ID=prod6148835-product?ext=gooPersonal_Care_PLA_Shower_ampersand_Bath_Accessories_prod6148835_pla&adtype={adtype}&kpid=prod6148835&sst=3b206e2f-376f-ba49-cbcb-000050d1a0e9[/url]

karin...

thanks for the tip on the walgreens cotton roll...i've never built a "cotton top"...but plan to soon...it's near the top of my 2014 to do list...along with too many other things...

do you cut the cotton to shape or tear it?...

my very best regards...howard...

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I do a bit of both. You can gently pull off layers to get the thickness you need. Then cut to shape. The cotton in the roll is laid up with the fibers all combed out so they go the same direction. For a roof it is easiest to use the roof itself as a cutting pattern before you put the roof on the building. You will want to leave a little bit of extra at the edges and trim it with scissors slightly rounded for that rolled snow look rather than a harsh straight cut edge. I add the cotton after the building is assembled. You want to keep it nice and clean so do it as last step in the project.
Karin Corbin

Karin,

Thanks for the tips.

Paul

I've been using hairspray for yearz--it is fantastic and unlike normal "art" fixatives, a little goes a long way and does not "knock down" the sparkle of the glitter.

My absolute fave to use is WHITE RAIN--seems to have a heavy "laquer-ish" component.

And if I remember correctly from my two weeks stocking drug store shelves in the 1970s, White Rain is one of the cheapest products you can buy. Another advantage.

The hairspray is a such a great idea, would you use this on coconut???