Adhesives- what you should know....

Are you confused about which adhesives to use for your projects?  Do you wonder which is best in which situations? Here is a quick and easy guide to Stampin' Up adhesives:

SNAIL Adhesive is the mainstay for my papercrafting projects. It is a double-sided adhesive film that rolls on easily to a piece of card stock or paper. It works best when adhering two flat layers together. Refills are available.

Tip: If you need to take layers apart for repositioning or because you changed your mind, simply heat with the Heat Tool and you will be able to separate the pieces.

Mini Glue Dots: Whoever invented these should get a medal! They are really handy for attaching embellishments to a project, like buttons, ribbons, punched shapes, etc. To use, press the embellishment on top of the Glue Dot. When you pull it away, the dot sticks to the embellishment, then you can attach it to the project. Or you can pick up a Glue Dot with the point of a Hobby Blade or Paper Piercing Tool and transfer it to your project.

Tip: Keep the unused Glue Dots on the roll covered or you will have stray dots sticking to everything on your table!

Stampin’ Dimensionals: These are little hexagonal pieces of foam with adhesive on both sides. Use them when you want to give an embellishment or layer a lift. They are great for adding dimension and depth to a project.

Tip: When you have used up all the hexagonal pieces, don’t throw the sheet away! Make snips in the leftover pieces around the edges to get the most from your purchase. I especially like using these pieces when I am adhering something small so that the Dimensional doesn’t show.

Sticky Strip is great for 3-D projects because it is stronger than SNAIL. When making boxes there is more tension on the adhesive than when putting flat layers together. Can be removed just like SNAIL— use the Heat Tool to warm the layers where you have put the Sticky Strip, then gently separate the pieces.

Tip: Sticky Strip works great for adhering ribbon, especially if you want to gather or pleat or ruche it.

Dotto is a temporary adhesive that rolls onto the paper. I use it whenever I design a project to put things together so I can take the pieces apart to make changes. This helps me to explore my creativity to the max, since I can experiment with different colors, shapes, images, embellishments, etc., without having to start all over on a project. Refills are available.

Tip:   Use Dotto when using the Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Adhere your card stock to Grid Paper (or whatever paper you use under your projects) so that it does not shift around when you are positioning your stamp with the image sheet.

2-Way Glue Pen: It is called 2-way Glue because when you put pieces together when the glue is wet, it is permanent. When you let the glue dry before putting them together, it is temporary. The glue is blue when it is wet, but dries clear. It is the perfect glue for glitter because the chisel-shaped tip allows you to add the glue precisely where you want it, even small areas in a stamped outline. It goes on in a very thin layer, as well, so you don’t get globs of glue and glitter on your project.

Tip: The chisel tip retracts slightly when you press it to the project, which increases the flow of glue. Be careful not to push the tip down so much that you get a flood of glue!

Adhesive Sheets are 12x12 sheets of adhesive film with slick backing and top sheets. They work great for adding glitter to an entire piece, like your focal point. Or for attaching fabric to card stock.

Tip: Put Adhesive Sheet on card stock or fabric, then punch out a shape, or cut with a die. Easy

Peasy!

Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive: This versatile glue gives a very strong bond, but cannot be undone once it is dry. So if you make a mistake you either live with it or start over. Use it on 3-D items for an even stronger, more permanent bond than even Sticky Strip. One of the advantages to this adhesive is that you have a few seconds to reposition your layers before it starts setting up so you can slide things into the exact alignment you want. This is really helpful when trying to get a mat lined up straight!

Tip: Use just a very thin bead of glue on your project, or the card stock will get wet and buckle as it dries.

Warning: If you have allergies, be aware that this glue contains Latex.

Adhesive Remover: Have you ever ruined a project because it stuck to your Grid Paper when you inadvertently put it down where there is a bit of stray SNAIL or other adhesive? I have learned to use the Adhesive Remover to clean up my work surface after gluing things in order to prevent such accidents. Just rub the stray adhesive with the corner or edge of the Remover and it will come right up.

Tip:   When the corners or edges of the Adhesive

Remover get gunked up, you can pull the yucky adhesive off with your fingers OR you can cut a bit of the rubber off of the corner to get a clean surface.

Crystal Effects is a very strong glue that is milky when wet and dries clear. When I need a really strong bond on a project where I am putting an uneven embellishment on a flat piece of card stock, I use Crystal Effects. It is a very strong bond, and the glue fills in the empty spaces between the layers.

Tip: Crystal Effects can take a long time to dry, especially if you have used a lot of it. Be sure to set your project aside until it has set so that you don’t ruin it and have to start over!

I hope you find this little lesson on adhesives helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at andersonshel@gmail.com

 And if you need to order any of these items, you can go to my online Stampin’ Up! by clicking the shop now logo, or contact me directly.