Craft Ideas for All-purpose Glue

You may think of all-purpose glue as more of a school supply than a craft supply, but you might be amazed at the variety of things you can do with good all-purpose glue and other scrapbooking adhesives. The best all-purpose glue can double as super glue for DIY projects and repair and as craft glue for the die-hard crafter, so there's no need to buy several different kinds of glue for each type of project you work on. Keep one bottle of all-purpose glue handy and you'll be set for all the gluing and adhesive projects that come up. Keep reading for a few craft ideas for all-purpose glue to have a bit of fun with the sticky stuff.

All-purpose Glue Ideas:

1. School projects: Gluing paper to paper or paper to poster board with all-purpose glue sticks is probably the first thing you imagine when you think of glue, but school projects and crafts don't need to be limited to picture collages and science fair posters. Use liquid glue to put together a popsicle-stick model of an atom or the solar system. Super glue will hold every piece of a 3D collage of a beach or mountain in its proper place; you can even dye the glue blue and measure it out slowly to create a realistic river complete with fish and a beaver dam. The possibilities are endless with all-purpose glue.

2. DIY and home repair: You don't need special glues to fix things around the house. With all-purpose liquid glue and a few large, strong rubber bands, you can fix the broken bindings of your children's most loved books. The best glue can re-attach tiles to the countertop, seal porous surfaces and secure loose molding, too. When you're looking for all-purpose glue, be sure to buy glue that can do a little bit of everything and won't dry out between uses.

3. Paint projects: Have you ever considered the possibilities of using craft glue in your painting projects? Glue sticks can help prevent paints from covering areas you want left blank, especially with watercolors that tend to run everywhere. Use glue to form the moon, sun or stars, then paint away with confidence that those celestial bodies won't disappear under encroaching paint. Use glue to outline a shape for your children to paint; the glue will help them stay inside the lines and produce cleaner art. You can also make your own glitter glue or glitter paint by adding plain glitter or sparkles to the glue and giving it a good stir. Use your homemade glitter glue to highlight specific areas of your artwork or as a top layer of paint for extra shine and sparkle. Depending on the project, it might be easier to trace words or images with the glue and then pour the glitter over the top (allow it to dry before shaking off the excess glitter). The best glue can do it all.

4. Jewelry and fabric crafts: Buy glue that you can use to create simple homemade jewelry. What little girl wouldn't love to turn a plain hair barrette into a stylish headpiece by gluing beads, feathers or ribbon onto it? The same approach can be used to make brooches, pendants and cuff bracelets. Fabric glue allows you to take this concept a step further by accessorizing purses, pants, skirts and cardigans. Transform your daughter's plain black skirt into something she'll love to wear by gluing a decal of flowers and butterflies to it. Use fabric glue to attach a cool plaid patch to the knee of your son's pants. Whatever crafts you want to create, all-purpose glue can help you turn your ideas into realities.