So there seem to be a lot of questions about what kind of adhesive one should use when creating scrapbook page layouts. Can I use Elmer’s glue? What about a hot glue gun? Will tacky glue work? What if I want something more permanent - can I use super glue?
What you want to remember when you are creating your scrapbook page layouts is that it is of the utmost importance that the materials you use will PRESERVE your memories and not age them prematurely in any way!
So then the question is, what should I use to adhere things to my scrapbook page layouts?
Here are 5 guidelines everyone should adhere to before adhering anything to your scrapbook page layout.
1. Make sure your adhesive is ACID FREE. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! You can find glue sticks or glue runners or glue dots - depending on what you prefer, just make sure they are ACID FREE!!!
2. If you are adding an embellishment to your page use something a little more substantial than a glue stick to get good results. Glue dots are a good idea if you want to stick on something that is heavier that a regular piece of card stock.
3. Do you want more of a 3D look? Then Foam Squares are what you need. They are strong and can be used the same way you would use glue dots. Since they are thicker than glue dots, your embellishment will stick out more and add more dimension to your page, making your page more interesting to look at. I promise this one simple trick can really change the way your embellishment looks on your page. SO EASY!!!!
4. Decide if you want to adhere your item PERMANENTLY or just TEMPORARILY. Some adhesives will allow you to do both, but most won’t so make sure you read your adhesive. This is a good idea when you may want to remove an extra special family photo from your book that you would like to frame now. . if you adhere it temporarily in the beginning, you will be able to move or change it later.
5. Make sure you use the right size. This applies more to the use of glue dots or foam adhesives. If you use a teeny tiny embellishment, then you are going to need a teeny tiny way to stick it to your page. You will get more mileage out of your adhesives if you use the right size for the job.
When I am a creating a a scrapbook page layout, I like to use
BONDING MEMORIES® GLUE. It can be temporary or permanent depending on what you need - I am sure you can imagine how convenient that is. The directions on the package clearly explain how to do this.
Another thing I like is
MEMORY BOOK GLUE DOTS® . These are the best thing for adding embellishments to your project. And they come in a small size too. The
MEMORY BOOK MINI GLUE DOTS® are PERFECT when you want to add something tiny like all those cute little buttons or the teeny tiny rhinestones you are seeing on lots of scrapbook pages.
When I want something to really POP, I use
3-D FOAM SQUARES, STRIPS, AND MINIS. The best thing about these is that they come in a variety of sizes. So convenient and they really add great dimension to your project.
Can you tell which bee is attached with a foam square? If you look closely, you can tell that the one on the right seems just a little more dimensional - you can see the shadow behind it. I LOVE using these!
Last but not least, I have to mention this one last thing because the possibilities are endless and you will have so much fun with it! Do you ever want to add more sparkle or pizazz to your page? When I do, I use
WRITE ‘N RUB™ PEN because this is what you want when you need super tiny things to stick. Now think about this, not only will you be able to add glitter or confetti, to just name a couple of things, but because it is a PEN you can can write out a name or a special word and just add sparkle to that particular word. I haven’t tried it, but I would bet you could add SAND from your last trip to the beach right along with your pictures of that trip. . . . if anyone tries that I want to know about it.
