A while ago, I shattered 200 AOL CDs to make a disco ball for a party. This process took hours of stomping, cutting with my hardcore CD cutting scissors (Warning: you could also lose a finger- didn’t happen, but it was a close one!), and picking the disc dust out of my hair. After that mess, I realized that I was missing a very important ingredient in the crafty goodness: ADHESIVE.

Being a craft supply junkie, I tend to own about ten different bottles of glue, multiple hot glue guns, epoxy, etc.- but choosing the correct adhesive for my project involves more than just winging it with wh use at you’ve got (although trial and error works if you have the time). Yep, you can read the labels. But what brand works best? I found a few tools to help along the way.

A handy little site I found called This to That provides a list of glues and recommendations for how best to use it, no matter the surface. Sticking plastic to wood? This to That suggests using Household Goop. I’ve personally never heard of it, but I love the name. Goop!

Another site dedicated to stickin’ it to you is Adhesives.org, home to The Adhesive and Sealant Council, Inc. On the site, you can learn about the history of Post-It© Notes and my Dad’s favorite- Duct Tape. Here’s a handy guide from the site to making your own adhesive from something you already know as sticky- Gummi Bears!

You have something you want to glue? Then just heat up a few Gummi Bears. Simply place them in a double boiler at a maximum of 140 degrees F, then add a little water to the bears until you can easily apply the mixture with a paint brush and, hey presto! –- there’s your adhesive. -The Adhesive and Sealant Council Inc.

You can make your own craft supplies, too- and keep it non-toxic. BONUS!

You’ll Need:

• Small Bowl
• Small Saucepan
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 3/4 cup of cold water

1. Mix the water, vinegar, and corn syrup in your saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a rolling, full boil on the stove. Careful, folks- you guessed it, it’s HOT.
3. Mix the cold water and the cornstarch in the bowl. Then, add it slowly to the hot mixture in the saucepan, and stir continually until the mixture begins to boil again.
4. Boil the mixture for one minute and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
5. Once it is cooled, pour it into an airtight container and let sit overnight before you use it. Store the container in the refrigerator between uses.


Tip: You can also add food coloring to the glue to make some fancy, shmancy, colored glue.

Now, go glue stuff together. You know you want to.

Courtney is the Assistant Managing Editor and resident Crafts Editor for Girls Guide. You can check out her personal blog at CourtneyChesley.com where she talks about everything under the creative sun, you can Email her at courtney [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter – @courtneychesley.