You really can make Homemade Adhesive Spots (like Glue Dots, Therm O Web’s Zots, or Cosmo Cricket’s Glubers). Make ’em any size, any shape and they are at least as sticky, if not more so at a fraction of the cost of the ones you buy. All you need is the Best Glue Ever and some release paper.
Release paper comes in sheets or in strips. Get the release paper free and recycle at the same time! Either use the empty “waxy” backing from nametags, address labels, letter stickers or other stickers or use the empty roll from adhesive applicators.
NOTE: Your local picture framing shop is a very good source for rolls of release paper. I asked at Michael’s and they had a few on hand and offered to save me more if I wanted. Really, how many dots do I need? Besides, you can place them a lot closer together than the commercial ones which saves space, too.
This is the used release paper from my Hermafix tabs:
This roll from Michael’s ATG gun is wider than the Hermafix paper:
Just apply your dots or lines to the release paper and set them aside to dry. The white glue will turn clear when they are ready and be very sticky! I use the rolled paper for normal sized dots because they are easier to store. I’ve found it helps to tape the ends of the rolled paper strips to my table to keep them from curling while the dots dry. If I make extra large Gluber-like dots, then I use the sheets and cover them with another sheet or a transparency to keep them clean. It will take from 1-8 hours depending upon the size and thickness of the spots.
I’ve applied the white glue to the strips which I’ve taped to my table.
The dots are dry and ready to roll:
Close-up of dots and lines…
Finally, you can even make sheets of dots and apply embellishments to the spots. Then you’ll have custom sheets of pre-sticky embellies at a fraction of the cost.
HINT: Use Embellie Gellie as a timesaver for picking up and placing the embellishments onto the sticky dos.
Using Embellie Gellie to pick up a gem:
Making custom sheets of pre-sticky embellishments:
