Guest Author - Meschill Billington

When working with paper crafts there are many products and tools that are essential. This list can include scissors and cutting systems, rulers, folding tools, tweezers, pens and markers of all kinds, a variety of papers, brad setters, and the list continues as far as your budget will allow, but at the top of the list are adhesives. Almost all paper crafts use adhesive except for a few exceptions, but if you love to work with paper chances are your tool chest will hold at least a few different types of the sticky stuff.

While the old stand by, white glue such as Elmer’s or Aileen’s Tacky Glue, still have their place, today there is a specialty glue for just about anything you want to stick down. There is a product called Perfect Paper Adhesive that is a white glue made just for use with paper crafts. I have to admit however that I rarely use white glue. I have listed my favorites but experiment with several to find what works best for you.

A good place to start is to have a couple of Glue Sticks on hand. My favorite brand is UHU. I use a glue stick for layering paper on cards and small collage projects. When using the glue stick I like to roll a brayer over the top of the paper to get a wrinkle free adhesion. Glue sticks come in many varieties including permanent and re-positional and some such as UHU even come with a color tint that helps you to see where the glue is on your paper.

The next essential, especially if you are a scrapbooker, is the tape runner. As the name implies this is a tape with glue dots or a continuous line that comes in a plastic applicator. It is very easy to use, leaves no mess and comes in several types including permanent, re-positional and for use with vellum. I believe this is the safest adhesive to use with photos and scrapbooks because it is acid-free and archival safe and will not harden and provides a thin layer of glue for an optimal finished project. My favorite brands are Creative Memories and Stampin’ Up!

One of my favorite new tools is the Xyron line of adhesives. These contraptions create a sticker out of paper items and even ribbon. You insert your item, roll the handle, peel the paper and you have a thin film of glue on the item. My favorite use of my small Xyron is on ribbon for cards or other projects.

Of course for decoupage and some other paper crafts I still love the ever popular Mod Podge! This is a glue and top coat used for decoupage that not only adheres the paper but also creates a gloss or matte finish. There are some varieties one of which creates a vintage look.

Finally, my very favorite is Gel Medium. I use this adhesive for my collage projects. Much like the Mod Podge the gel medium provides a glossy or matte finish to the project but I believe it is a better quality product although it is more expensive. My favorite is Golden Soft Gel.

If you are new to Paper Crafts or want to try some new adhesives, this list will give you some options to try. Once again, experiment to find your own favorites which will depend on your crafting methods and projects.