The Ultimate Guide to Glue

This post is part of the Ultimate Guide to 50 Craft Materials; 50 different posts featuring 50 different craft materials. Glue is an essential craft material but often falls in the shadow of many other items (usually the items it is sticking) So today we are putting the spotlight on glue.

The most common use of glue is to stick two items together. Collages are great for children young and old. They can be as simple or complex as the child wants them to be. We especially like our Gaudi inspired snails.

Craftulate has a great post describing introducing glue to little ones and different methods/ tools for using when sticking

Sticking needn't stop at paper. You can transform an old glass jar into a lantern by sticking tissue paper on the outside. 

Glue not only acts as an adhesive but it can be decorative in it's self. We loved making our glitter glue firework pictures earlier this month. These 'spider webs' canvases from Sun Hats and Wellie Boots are very cool. 

Glue resist painting can produce absolutely gorgeous results - especially when combined with watercolours and salt as in this post from Frugal fun for boys. Happy Hooligans also combined salt, glue and water colour (using a different method) and used it to teach name reconnection. 

Teach Me Mommy used glue pictures to create some crayon resist pictures. You can also make amazing glue prints using the resit technique as shown by Artespirit.

Modge Podge/ watered down PVA glue can act as a cheap varnish. We use it when were are making salt dough decorations and when we made our pressed flower pebble you can see below.

Glue can also be useful to strengthen materials and make them rigid like in this sweet yarn and birds nest from The Imagination Tree.

My Little 3 and Me used glue to stiffen a leaf when doing leaf threading.

Regular readers will know that I am a massive playdough fan. Unsurprisingly I love this glue and corn starch (corn flour for UK readers) playdough recipe from  Inspiration Laboratories. If you're a fan of sensory play then you will also love this recipe for jelly slime (containing glue) from Mama OT. 

No post about glue would be complete without a mention to glue window clings. These ones from The connection we share are gorgeous (I've never been able to make them this neatly!)

How about making your own glue. 

• Home made glitter glue. Paging Fun Mums
• Coloured glue. Tinker Lab
• Rainbow Glue. Pink and Green Mama

If like me you're not always sure which glue should be used when I refer to this infographic. 

If you are a blogger and have any posts that prominently feature glue please link up below.