Getting Crafty

As you may recall from a couple of days ago, I need help in the department of adhesives. Who should come to my rescue but the lovely Sherry of Sage and Thyme. (You should go visit her, she’s great. If you can read her blog and your heart doesn’t feel lighter, then you may need to make sure you still have a heart–I mean that in the nicest way, mind you).

Sherry happened to have the July/August issue of a magazine I had never heard of, Cloth Paper Scissors (the table of contents for this issue is here), on hand, and was kind enough to share some of the things she learned from an article on how to make things stick.

Now I don’t want to stop you from getting what seems to be a very interesting magazine, so please don’t hesitate to go and subscribe and read up on all sorts of other things. However, adhesives is the name of this game, and here’s what Sherry was able to get for us:

• Use acrylic gel medium if you’re looking for an adhesive that is also a great sealer
• ZIG glues come in a pen form (allows good control!). It goes on blue but dries clear
• PVA and regular matte gel medium. To avoid the ripple effect of liquid glues, put some weights over what you’re drying
• E-6000 is heavy duty industrial glue for crafting
• Gel medium can be thinned, tinted and comes in matte or glossy. Use thinner for paper and thicker for heavier objects. It is non-toxic
• Use clothespins for cloth to cloth or paper to hold glue in place
• Blick artist’s brand acrylic gel medium is great for lightweight “stickums”
• Double sided tape is good for some materials
• Aleene’s tacky glue - this stuff has been around forever and has many formulas and uses

So what have we learned from this list? Well, there are a lot of options out there, and it really boils down to what you are sticking to what. When it comes to what adhesive works best, you may opt to go with something more all purpose in nature, or go to a store with a wide range of adhesives, and read some labels until you find one that is appropriate.

If that sounds daunting,, Sherry shared a website that was mentioned in the article that will make determining the glue you need a breeze: This to That! You simply select what two items you’re sticking together, click the magic “Let’s glue!” button and voila! Your options for adhesives pop up. What a nifty tool.

If only life were that easy.