Four our latest lesson,
Elizabeth set us playing with different glues . Good job we get two weeks per lesson to produce our homework - which I confess isn't complete (I blame Tim Holtz's Creative Chemistry online class which I spent all weekend doing!)
Actually I don't - I only have myself to blame. anyhow, Elizabeth asked us to try sticking several of our pages together with different types of glues from our stash and document which we found best and which not. Her recommended ones to try were glue stick, gel medium, mod podge if we had it, pva (white glue) and gesso.
Here are my results!
I had to take them close in so you could see the tags for our results, which I attached with Tim's Tiny Attacher. I've just edged the tags with some distress ink so they show up on the plain pages.
I thought this would be best of all, but the Prittstick wins!
My tacky (pva) glue is very old and I had to prise it out of the bottle - breaking two coffee stirrers in the process. I should have found an old knife...or a credit card as Elizabeth recommended!! (memo to self - listen to the teacher!)
I didn't realise I had any of this - and as the tag says - it stinks!! And the smell lingers. Not a fan, it's gone back in the box to be forgotten again!
I was dubious about gesso working - it's actually less wrinkly now than it looks here! I didn't put enough on the righthand part of the page so had to add some more and press the pages stuck again. Good job it was the outer edge that I under-glued!!
The gesso I used here I did buy specially - what I've been using as gesso in my journal isn't labelled as such but is called "artists' quality background colour" though it does say it can be used as gesso. My class gesso came from The Works and was £4.99 for a 500ml tub (and I don't much like the smell of that either!)
Then Elizabeth asked us to make a spread of a double page with gesso as glue and sealer if required - I found that quite helpful as it aided the sticking process!
As you can see
I had to hold the book open in one hand to keep it flat and take the photo with the other - good job I don't use my SLR for my blog photos I'd never have managed... Anyhow, I used the leftover sheet of paper from the front cover and a clock cut from some 7 Gypsies paper - time was going to be my main theme until I used this sheet of paper which referenced Suchard (i.e. chocolate) so now either I'll go both or no specific theme at all (which may prove difficult in the next lesson!)
Next time we're looking at design principles - and I think I will find that much harder!
14 comments:
Well done Helen, and well done for taking the photo one handed Great work Hugs Elaine
I also under-glued with the gesso! My whole page came apart & I had to glue it again! You did a nice job with your tags & 2 page spread.
I'm glad i am not sensitive to smell, I never even realized that mod podge smelled at all! Might have to go give it a sniff later, lol I think next lesson will require a little concentration, but hopefully not too much! lol waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)
Well done Helen. I am sooo way behind on this but do it I will!! I got as far as buying a book to the correct specificiation!! Never mind. Nearly finished the TH course and no craft fair on the horizon!!
Your altered book is lookin fabulous, I'm enjoying your journey through it. Tracy x
Some Gessos do smell a bit. I use Galeria white gesso primer I get in a huge container for £9.99 from The Range (if you have one near). For sticking pages together bare in mind that the glue stick, once dried out, tends to lose its stickiness and the pages will part eventually also if you are using wet mediums on the paper the glue still again will come unstuck (I speak from experience lol). Mod Podge matte is excellent for gluing everything - excellent for collage and to seal things. An all round brilliant. product in my humble opinion and it will glue your pages together but will get a little wrinkly as it dried on thin paper - but then that adds to the texture.
Happy journalling!!
Great job. I wish I'd used the tags. Yours look good and are full of lots of useful info.
Loving reading all about your journey with the altered book. I absolutely ADORE mod podge, best thing ever invented. I noticed that Lesley says it sometimes wrinkles on thin paper, but to be honest I've never had any trouble and I can't say that mine smells much either. Anyway we all have different choices, good luck with the rest of the course xx
Scents don't bother me, BUT I hate the smell of Mod Podge. That's why it's also my least favorite glue.
Glue sticks DO lose their potency over time, so that's why it's important to really press and burnish the glued piece on well.
Another thing about Mod Podge. I took my collographic plates to my friend's house last week. I made them last summer using cardboard, embellishments, and three coats of Mod Podge. When I retrieved one of the "plates" from my basement, it was sticky and gooey feeling. The one I had in my main floor craft room was not sticky. SO, moisture has a LOT to do with that glue. I'm sure I've mentioned that before, but it pays to say it again, since, like you, Mod Podge isn't worth the cost.
You did a super job with this homework assignment, and truly met all the requirements.
I didn't notice a smell to any of the glues I tried - and I thought I had a fairly sensitive nose. However, it was a good experiment and I didn't even realize how many glues I had! Your page looks great - can't wait to see progress on the next lesson!
I have just had a sniff of my modge podge now hahahaha!!!! I never noticed the smell before!!!! I find its sticky when dry too so now use Claudine Helmuths. Lovely pages there Helen x
Look at you! Really great stuff going on with this project! I love how you get homework! That is so true by the way... it IS always time for chocolate!!! xxx
Sounds like a great class Helen! Your page looks lovely! x
I've just finished lesson 4 and linked the results on Elizabeth's page and like you, I was pleased with the gesso. Didn't try Mod Podge though - forgot I had some. I like the gesso double-spread you did as well - looking good.
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