Let's stick together

Miss Vallen posted some new collage work over at her Castle, along with a question about glue. I was working on some button notecards last night and decided to answer a few questions about the glues I use most. Also - huge, loud and rowdy HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HER>

I had a horrible experience at one time. I made these adorable postcards for a mailart swap and my partner got her card, but all of the collage was MIA. I had used plain old glue sticks for that and was mortified about the whole thing. Seems that humidity and damp weather are not good friends with glue stick. I still use them for my inspiration books and for some collage work. I also use glue stick for altered journals.

Acrylic Medium (no photo- sorry) is fab for some paper works and since I buy the matte finish - I also use it as a sealer on things.

Plain white elmers glue and water is what I have used for the stamp shelf and cabinet. Really doesn't matter about brand there - I just stock up at back to school time. WalMart just had the elmers for 10 cents a bottle.



My XYRON create a sticker - One of the coolest things I have ever bought. You can get refills of permanent or repositionable adhesive. I watch for the refills to be on sale or for Michaels to have a coupon for money off on anything. Slide your material into the slot - pull the little tape through - tear - lay on a flat surface then rub. I use my nails or a paint brush handle on tight areas. The release paper pulls off the excess sticky. I had this out last night working on the button cards you see. I made stickers out of ribbon and lace strips that I then sewed the buttons through on the card. I will post finished photos of the cards tomorrow.



My favorite collage glue. YES Paste. I have had this tub for over a year and it is almost half full still. This is a thick thick brush on paste. No bubbling on paper. No odor. Soap and water clean up. Dries clear. I use an old hard bristle brush to spread (smear) this all over the back of an image. I keep a damp towel and just wipe my fingers off as they get sticky. Works for paint chips too. (I know every crafter picks tons of those up all the time) I have found this at Hobby Lobby and at Michaels.

A finished shot of one WIP from this week. This image was a free DOVER image. I resized it to about 2" wide by 4" tall and wrapped a yard of the cream vintage lace around. I have hand washed the lace and ironed and starched it. Wrapped and folded into a point at the end - I threaded a needle with scrap floss and tied it off to seal the end flap. In my thinking - this way if you untie the bow carefully, you can use the entire piece of the lace. I hate the sticky things at the end of ribbon spools and there have been times when I needed just that extra inch of ribbon that is glued to the spool. This one is not for sale - goes in a giftie for a friend - but there will be more to come. Hopefully, I will be able to sell some of this stuff in October at the craft fair and then maybe start that etsy shop like so many others have done.

Special thanks to my buddy - MaryAnn. She has nominated me as a rockin' girl blogger. We met through swapbot and have formed one of those firendships that will last. Love ya girl. I will have to give it some thought to see who I am nominating. So that follow up tomorrow as well.

I hope this finds everyone having a great day. Oh and by the way - everything here qualifies as USE WHAT I HAVE.