I’ve been making cards for almost 20 years and I have learned a LOT during that time. Some things I’ve learned from others, some from books and magazines, and some from classes and workshops, but I’ve probably learned the most from trial and error. Experience is a great teacher they say.

Today I want to pass along some of the tips I’ve learned from experience about picking the right adhesive for the job.

 

Tip #1:  When matting layers, use liquid glue.

When I have matting and layering that needs to be precise, I will opt for liquid glue. It’s a bit more forgiving than tape adhesives.

Here I have two strips of blue cardstock that I want to place behind the patterned piece.

Since I need these borders to be perfectly straight, I will apply a thin line of liquid glue on the front of each strip and then place the patterned piece over the strips.

Since the adhesive is liquid and doesn’t dry immediately, I have a few seconds to make minor adjustments if needed. You can see the lower edge of the blue layer sticks out further than the upper end. I was able to quickly and gently move the upper layer out a bit to create equal-distance matting.

 

Tip #2: When layering elements with precise edges, use liquid glue.

For similar reasons, I like to use liquid glue when adhering layers that have edges that need to match up.

The key is to apply a thin bead all along the outer edges of the layer.

This allows enough “liquid” to keep the layer movable without having gloppy blobs that squeeze out when attaching the layers.

 

Tip #3: When using foam tape or dimensionals, add a dot of liquid glue.

This might seem strange … after all, foam tape typically has adhesive on both sides and is secure enough not to need additional holding power.

I attach my foam tape to the layer or element that I’m going to be attaching to my card as normal. I then add a tiny dot of liquid glue to the surface of each foam piece. This again allows me to have a few seconds of “move” time when placing the layer or element.

 

Tip #4: When building depth with small elements, use liquid glue.

I will often create dimension and depth by layering elements and using foam tape. I usually lay out my elements without adhesive first to make sure they are properly placed.

By using liquid glue on some of the pieces, I can “slide” them underneath other elements that might already be attached. If I were to use tape adhesive, the element would immediately stick to the surface it touched.

I love both my liquid glue and my tape adhesives, but I’ve learned (the hard way) that some situations call for the “movability” of the wet stuff.

~Colleen

Supplies used: Cardstock from Bazzill Basics Paper Inc.; Journey Collection printed paper from Authentique Paper; Picket Fence Tablet printed paper from LilyBeeDesign; Memento ink pads from Tsukineko LLC; distress ink pad from Ranger Industries Inc.; First Flower stamp from Loralie Designs; Beautiful You stamp set from Verve Stamps; Lacey Squares (#S4-295) and Postage Stamps (#S4-348) die templates from Spellbinders™ Paper Arts; Copic® markers (B41/B45/G21/G82/E43), Multiliner (Sepia .3), Opaque White pigment, Copic ABS and X-Press It Foam tape from Imagination International Inc.; Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive liquid glue from 3M.