Glue Gun Glue (aka Melt Adhesive)--embellishments & more

[Looser]

Back in the 90s, I did a ton of crafting with my glue gun. Most of the work didn't involve stamping or cards per se, but lots of the techniques can be used to make neat embellishements to our cards & more.

Let's start with Waterworks. To do this you'll need a glue gun & glue sticks. You'll also need a container of water. I reccomend a bucket of cold water.

First thing you need to know is that glue gun glue floats on water. And the technoque for making the embellies is rather like drizzling hot syrup on snow to make sweet treats.

Here's two ways to do this simple technique:

1. Hold the glue gun above the water & drizzle the glue while moving the gun.

2. Stir the water briskly so it spins. Drizzle the glue & let the spinning water make the shape.

With both of these versions--& clear glue--the piece looks like spun glass. Colored glue sticks work the same way & the 'amber' glue sticks (often found in hardware dept.)  You can also color the pieces with paints & inks. Just experiment.

Once you get the feel of this, you may want to make non free-form pieces. That's what I did for a set of projects in Crafts 'N Things years ago.  Fair warning... This is just a bit more time-consuming, but can produce neat results.

1. On a non-stick surface use the glue gun to make a simple shape--I like hearts.
 
2. Once cooled, peel the shape off & float it--flat side up--on the water-filled container.

3. Drizzle glue to 'fill in' the shape outline. Don't worry about staying inside the outline!

4. Use scissors to trim any glue that extends past the shape outline.

Want a 'visual'? Guess what? I found one that someone lifted from the original article! Note that the angel's outline is gold. That's because I spray-painted it before floating it on the water & filling in. The fill-in got a bit thick, but gives you an idea of how this works.


 

[Looser]

With the initial technique safely posted, I'm more than willing to share other glue gun techniques that I've done. There's making glue 'pearls' (super easy), molded glue (another easy) AND 'stamped' glue. That's got lots of ways to play once you get the stamping under your belt. 

I can't promise my own visuals for any of these other techniques, but let me know if your interested & by all means ask questions & share your own glue gun experience & internet 'finds'. 

[stampwilly]

This is super cool and thanks for the instructions and picture! Love the angel. I am also interested in the other glue gun techniques. I just migt play with this later today. I can see some neat backgrounds with the drizzle technique. Thanks for sharing!

Stampwilly

[Looser]

Thanks, April! Drizzled glue is lots of fun--long as you don't worry about the results when making the first few pieces. 

Since our group is very stamping-oriented, how about I share some basics for that?

Let's start with using glue gun 'pearls' as the base. A glue gun pearl is just a blob of glue. It is round like a pearl or carbachon stone. They are done on a non-stick surface, but can be done directly on the project if you're feeling 'brave'.

Turning a 'pearl' into a stamped embellishment is simple.

1. Pump out the glue pearl--small to large.

2. Allow to cool a bitm but not harden.

3. Press a stamp into the (still soft) glue & leave the stamp in place until the glue cools & sets.

4. Remove the stamp & peel of the glue piece.

If you want a larger piece, you may want to invest in a 'glue pot'. This tool allows you to melt & pour glue. An alternative is to melt the glue stick(s) in a can immersed in boiling water. Either way the glue needs to be pourable.

1. Pour a puddle of glue large enough to accept the stamp.

2. Allow the glue to cool, but not 'set'.

3. Leave the stamp in the glue until it's set & then remove the stamp & peel the piece from the work surface.

NOTE! I use rubber stamps for this. Clear stamps may work, but test with a less 'fave' clear before using your treasured ones. Hot glue & clear stamps are plastics & all plastics aren't always compatable. 

About 'non-stick' surfaces... I prefer 'glue pads' or silicon sheets, but plastic-coated paper will work..

Once you have a stamped glue, you can play like crazy--and I hope you will! A few ideas to get you staryted...

1. Sprinkle glitter, EPs, crayon snibbles, ink, paint on the hot glue or add them while melting the glue sticks.

2. Color the backside of the stamp-impressed glue with a dark paint/paper & fill the impressed image with a lighter paint using the 'antique-ing' technique. (or back with light & antique with dark).

One thing I do with hot glue pieces on paper projects is apply them with tapes & any adhesive other than glue gun. Double-face tape (Scor or Red) are my faves.

[howdyheidi]

The ornament is really neat.  No one would think it was made from a glue gun!  I like the idea of the glue gun pearls.

Always my biggest hurdle with glue gun things is finding mine.  Maybe if I had 8 it would be easier....   

[stampwilly]

I must say I was like a child playing with this technique! it was so much fun drizzling the glue on cold water. I got a phone call while I was in the middle of doing this and wasn't really paying too much attention to my designs and I saw that one looked a lot like a flower, so after the call I made some more "flowers". Next I colored my flowers with a gold paint pen. Here are pictures of the drizzles, buttons and my card. I plan on making another card with one of the "background" drizzles that I will show later. Thanks for the fun technique, Daniel!

Stampwilly

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1463#top_display_media  --  drizzles

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1464#top_display_media  --  buttons

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1465#top_display_media  --  card

[Far North]

Looks like you had lots of fun April!

Interesting enough I received the PLAID newsletter today and it featured a newly designed glue gun.  And wonderfully they did change several of the  frustrating features of the old model.  Of course now we have to pay more for those features but they have some special deals right now.
...Jan 

[CarefreeSadie]

I have seen this glue gun.  It is especially made for the mod melts.  The mod melts are a type of glue stick that is supposed to be made especially for melting and putting into molds.  I actually have some of the mod melt sticks, but I use them in an old glue gun.  It works ok but I am not really sure what the difference is between the mod melts and regular glue sticks.  It seems to me that they work the same way.  This "new" glue gun is made to work with the mod melts and the molds.  I have seen a couple youtube videos on it and I am not overly impressed with how it works.  One lady showed how it just kept leaking the mod melt while it was sat down and not in use but still on.......she had a big ole pile of wasted mod melt.  Another lady showed how hot the end of this new glue gun gets......it gets really hot.  And the lever that you push down to make the mod melts come out is made of plastic and is not located in a convenient spot.  I am not sure after watching those videos whether I would want one or not.  It is recommended not to use your regular glue gun for regular glue after using it for the mod melts, I guess the mod melts leave a residue behind which is colored and rather sticky. 

[Looser]

TFS for the share/link, Jan. 

That said, I'm with Sadie. This tool looks very 'gimmicky' to me--especially since it's tied to Mod Podge which seems really odd to me. But I am an 'old' glue gun user & somewhat set in my ways. Even when AD-Tech came out with an 'ergonomic' glue gun decades back, I still preferred using my 'regular' glue guns--trigger & push.

April. Terrific job of playing with your glue gun! TY for sharing your examples, pal. I left you praise & comments/suggestions.

Far as 'drippy' glue guns? Many glue guns drip, but the material is not necessarily 'wasted'. Some drips make great embellies 'as is' & you can always 'remelt' the drips in a glue pot--commercial or homemade--for 'poured glue' items.

I really like April's stamped glue 'buttons'. Some of them look like fossils. Want to turn them into 'sewable' buttons?

Heat a metal needle or nail & use it to melt holes in the button. 

[yellowcherrios]

Ooo I have to try this when things slow down next month!!  This looks like a lot of fun and great pieces April!!!  Cool angel Daniel!!  Looks like those glass angels I've seen!

[Far North]

Thanks so much Sadie for sharing the issues you have seen and heard about the new glue gun.  I have wanted a new one for a long time since I have gotten my favorite gun's tip all funky from trying to reach into layers of material to get to the proper spot to glue.  Yuck on a plastic tip...I missed that I thought it was silicone. My major concern is the high heat on this new one be too hot for multi-media papercrafting since I do far less other projects now...and your video tip sounds like it just maybe hotter than I want.  I really like the longer electric because I always have to use an extension cord.  The on/off switch would be great too for a faster turn off than getting to electrical plug each time.

Sounds like this is a good tool to let others try first and perhaps they will do some further re-design soon.  I really have not investigated who all makes glue guns now and their features...any recommendations would be appreciated.

Mod Podge seems to be going through a major updating of many of their products...good grief they even changed the Mod Podge's forumla but now that we have all types of mediums I don't plan on trying that one. I think their promo is totally unclear-- they say it replaces the glue gun but then as you said it seems focused on Mod Melts and that is the company's name at the end of the video.

Time will sort this one out!  Thanks again Sadie for the potential problem alert!

[Craft Nerd]

Thank you for not being a tease and sharing the technique Daniel.  I definitely have to give this a try.  It looks like a lot of fun. 

That angel is absolutely beautiful.

Jan - I have Aleene's Ultimate Glue Gun and I really like it.  It has 2 different temp settings and you can change the tip (although I admit to being to afraid to try this since you have to do it while the glue is soft).  And you don't have to unplug it from the outlet to turn it off because the plug hooks into the gun.

[Far North]

Ah-h Thanks Sarah for the info on you glue gun-that sounds like it would meet my needs better!...Jan

[Looser]

...I have Aleene's Ultimate Glue Gun and I really like it.  It has 2 different temp settings and you can change the tip (although I admit to being to afraid to try this since you have to do it while the glue is soft).  And you don't have to unplug it from the outlet to turn it off because the plug hooks into the gun.

YES! At least 2 of my several guns are Aleene's Ultimate--dual temp & interchangeable tips (most of which I never used). I highly recommend them to anyone who's considering investing in a gun that will be useful for lots of crafts & different media.

A couple of my other 'high end' guns are from AdTech (Adhesives Technologies). They are also very versatile & the quality is excellent, but... They use oval glue sticks. Those can be difficult to find. I recommend buying glue guns that accept round sticks--that includes trigger & triggerless styles. In fact, I just found two of my oldest guns. Both are triggerless (you feed the glue with your thumb) & still work just fine. With a bit of learning & practice anyone can use these simple tools to create all the stuff I've shared so far--I promise!

In the 'nice-to-have' category is a clear glue pad. Mine are about 5x7 & they feel a bit like clear stamp material.

The advantge of having one is that you can draw or stamp a design on paper (like the angel's outline). Then you place that under the pad & use the glue to 'draw' the pattern & lift it off the pad once it cools.

[stampwilly]

I made another card today using one of my drizzle pieces.

Stampwilly

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=1481#top_display_media