Glows

• duplicate the object (or part thereof) that you want to glow
• color the duplicate according to the glow you want
• give it soft edges
• lower the alpha (transparency) of the glow shape if desired

This will probably look more impressive in a dark setting

Sparkles and simple lens flares

Alternatively (or additionally), a circle with no edge and a relatively transparent fill with soft edges, and the same circle as a thick white outline using a soft line.

Rays (a soft edge but less so) - the radiating "arms" of the lens flare

Sparkles, or this variation of them, are just the arms of a lens flare, often animated to move and turn

Bubbles

• considerable alpha in fill (somewhat less so for the edge)
• use of halo fill option to give a circular gradient
• multiple layers (just 2 in this simple example) each with a single fill/edge effect for ease of adjustment i.e. not a separate fill for each bubble

Points to note - animation (multiple bubbles)

• separate layers for control
• simple upwards layer movement, keyframe at end of movement
• extra sub-layers for sideways movement, animate one movement, then cycle animation
• animated noisy outline and fill so bubbles automatically flex and change - large scale noise (i.e. not jaggy), small offset

Bubbles that pop
You can easily have bubbles that pop by swapping the visibility of layers between a bubble layer and a "pop" shape layer (or perhaps 2 pop layers, with expanding droplets)

Quicktime, Cinepak, 160x120, 67k - same animation as GIF

Bubbles, 2nd thoughts

• Just an outline, with a shine

• Use a very slight fill, perhaps

• Fill shapes, colors ? - hmm, maybe not

More smoke

• Simply draw the lines you wish to be wisps or "ropes" of smoke (or fog, fumes, etc.)
• Give them a really thick soft property
• Animate the lines as desired

Fire revisited

• Instead of two overlayed shapes, try a divided shape with two fills
• Still add soft edges and animated noise
• Possibly consider another layer for hiding the base a still shape, soft edges, no animated noise

Focus

Tip : use linear keyframes to prevent over-lap of the blur effects into external frames