MUST-HAVE Adhesive Kit #1

These are my go-to adhesives. Bar none. I use them almost every single day. Here is what each one is good for and how I use them in my card-making.

1. Stampin’ Seal: This is my number one general, all-purpose adhesive. It is the way I stick my cards together. I never have to worry about humidity in the summer, because my paper layers stay stuck! I also use it to attach tiny, lightweight embellishments, like wood. Ribbon will also stay down if the fabric has no pile or texture. If it does, I will use Mini Glue Dots or Multipurpose Liquid Glue for max adhesion.

2. Tear & Tape: This is a double stick tape, and a great way to put boxes and other 3-d items together. It has a strong bond to paper and is permanent. Make sure of where you stick it because it won’t move once it is down. It’s nice because you can cut or “tear” it into the exact size you need. I also use it to stick down glass beads, sequins, glitter, or Gilded Leafing.

3. Glue Dots: These tiny magical flat dots are perfect for attaching metal embellishments to cards. I also like to use them when I have a large ribbon or bow knot that needs to stick securely and stay in place. You can use it for buttons, wood, & metal (lightweight), and of course, paper. It’s also a good option for vellum. I have found it to be the least visible and most easily hidden when using vellum.

4. Stampin’ Dimensionals: These are cutie patooties when making your images POP on your cards. Literally! They are perfect for adhering bows, wood, die cuts, and more. You can also stack them to get some dimension with your card elements.

5. Fine-Tip Glue Pen: This is my favorite liquid glue. It has a precise, fine-tip applicator, and it is easy to get very small dots right where you want the adhesive. I use this to attach metal embellishments. It dries clear, so you can add it on top of sequins to stabilize them so they won’t fall off. It can leave a little shine around the area where it is applied, but it’s usually not noticeable. I use this feature to my advantage and will drop a few drops on top of an image and spread it out with a brush (wash glue from the brush immediately). Then I have a beautiful glossy image once the glue is dry.

When you order & use the current month’s Hostess Code, you will receive the Thank You gifts for that month! Clicking the “add all to cart” button will take you to my Stampin’Up Online Ordering Website.

Sticky Time-Savers Kit #2

These products are what I would call, time savers for specific projects. They often get overlooked because people don’t know what to do with them or how to use them. Let me help you and share why you NEED these in your adhesive stash.

1. Adhesive Sheets: Okay, I will admit, I resisted using these sticky wonders for the longest time. {blush} I could not get my head around how they work and why they are so amazing. Let me clarify: If you die cut ANYTHING delicate, YOU NEED TO BE USING these Adhesive Sheets. You take the card stock you want to use, cut the sheet to size, peel it, and stick it on the back of your card stock. THEN, just cut your die shape out as normal. When you get ready to attach your die cut to your project, you will already have adhesive on the back of your die! It’s SO AMAZING! Especially for intricate lace designs, words, anything that a glue dot won’t fit on, or Stampin’ Seal might tear or leave a sticky residue. This stuff is GREAT! ***** 5-stars, 10 outta 10! Not. Even. Kidding. :)

2. Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals: These are for the time when you have a tiny little detail you want to use and get a little dimension on your project, but don’t want the pesky white of the dimensional to show through. Sure, you can cut down the regular Stampin’ Dimensionals, but this saves time and allows you to move through assembly quickly! Who can use more time? And no adhesive stuck on your scissors!

3. Stampin’ Seal Plus and Stampin’ Seal Plus Refill: This adhesive is dry and lays down on your paper in little rectangles. It is stronger than the Stampin’ Seal and is suitable for lightweight 3-d projects. Great for when your project has several layers and is heavier than an average card. I add the Seal Plus Refill in here because if you have one, you need a refill. At. All. Times. :)

4. Foam Adhesive Strips: These are a must-have for creating Shaker Cards. You can easily butt them up end-to-end, so you have NO holes that your little shaker bobbles and sequins can’t escape. See my shaker card tutorial here.

When you order & use the current month’s Hostess Code, you will receive the Thank You gifts for that month! Clicking the “add all to cart” button will take you to my Stampin’Up Online Ordering Website.

Specialized-Stars Adhesives Kit #3

1. Black Stampin’ Dimensionals Combo Pack: This convenient little pack of Dimensionals come in very handy when you are working with dark card stock and want to hide or at least minimize distraction from the construction of your card, and focus on the beauty of your card! And who doesn’t want to do that?! It comes with two sizes of Dimensionals, both 3/8” (1cm) and 1/4” (6.4mm).

2. Foam Adhesive Sheets: This is another product I feel crafters are a little perplexed by…as to how to use it. It is similar to a  Stampin’ Dimensional, but it is a solid sheet and can be cut into any size or shape you like. It cuts easily with Scissors. And you can use an OPEN die to cut it out with the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. The die should be OPEN as opposed to intricate to cut smoothly. 

3. Cling Adhesive: Cling adhesives are on sheets. They have 168 strips that are 3/4” x 1 3/4”. They were created to TRANSFORM your rubber clear-mount stamps (that stuck to the acrylic blocks, by only using static electricity) to the new Cling Stamps. The clear-mount stamps tended to stick for short times and often popped off while cleaning the stamps. The Cling Stamps are LIFE-changing to a stamping crafter! If you have the older-style clear mounts, I highly suggest you get these ASAP! I would convert my collection over time, as I pulled out and used the older stamps.

4. Heat & Stick Powder: This powder is a little tricky to use, but the effects it provides are worth figuring out! It goes onto your project by stamping an image, sprinkling it with powder (similar to heat embossing), then tapping off the excess. Then using the Heat Tool, you heat it for about 5-10 seconds, until it melts and becomes sticky. Then you can sprinkle the image with the Gilded Leafing embellishment, or glitter. This allows the image you stamp with, to look like it was stamped with Gilded Leafing or glitter! Talk about a FABULOUS effect. Getting the powder melted at the right spot of sticky can be a little tricky. I suggest you play around with it until you get the hang of it. Here’s a video where I explain the process in detail.

5. Silicone Craft Sheet: This little 6”x6” wonder is the perfect surface to use with your hot glue gun. Firstly, it will protect your surface. Once it dries, any hot glue that falls onto it peels right off. You can use it to place a dollop of glue, then press in the petals of a flower, to create a 3-dimensional embellishment. Secondly, it’s also great when using other liquid glues. Those glues, at least for me, sometimes get more on my surface (and hands) than my project. So again, it protects the surface you are working on and then cleans up quickly when the glue dries. I have several!