Product Review: Glu6

I have been testing out this cool new glue in a couple of my projects this week and figured it was time to write up a more detailed review for all of you (this blog is by no means a product review blog, but when I find something I like I'm going to share it!). Maybe it's the Portlander in me, but I really like that this glue is made from recycled styrofoam (yes, that big blocky white stuff that packages all your electronics etc. That same stuff you thought couldn't be recycled into anything useful!). Right off the bat, this glue gets bonus points for trying to solve an eco problem and giving you a useful product.

I used the Glu6 Craft Paste to make the fish scale patterned placemat shown above. The majority of the paper circles used were punched out from glossy magazine paper, but I mixed in some solid color copy paper circles and a few from card stock as well (to better test out the glue and to add some texture to the final project). The craft paste seemed to work equally well on all 3 types of paper (and is recommended for porous surfaces). It has a pretty slow curing time and a fairly strong orange scent so you will want to follow the recommendations on the package and use this in a well ventilated area. I tried out a few different brush options, including a foam brush, old paint brush and the little wooden applicator provided with the glue itself. Since this glue is not water soluble, the foam brush was a no go--it just got all gooped up in the foam and didn't spread very well. If you are spreading onto a large area, the wooden applicator worked pretty well, but if you are trying to glue something tiny, I found I liked the old hard bristled paint brush. Keep in mind that to clean the brush you have to use something like Goof Off or Goo Gone as again, the glue is not water soluble. This does come in handy if you want to use the glue as a sealer, because once it cures it is waterproof!

I used the Glu6 Original to make these Instagram Coasters. Since this comes in a fine tipped bottle, the application process is much easier. I also found that it formed a tight bond with my paper and ceramic tile (even though my paper was a little porous and this glue is recommended for non porous surfaces). This glue was also pretty spiffy at sealing my coasters, but it does take awhile to cure (I left mine for 2 days before sealing and then another 2 days after that before use). It has the same orange scent as the craft paste, and again should be used in a well ventilated area.

Overall, I really liked both of these glues and will likely continue using them for various projects in the future, especially papercrafts/scrapbooking (I'm kind of a sucker for quirky products that are made in the USA).

All Craftinomicon readers can get 25% off their Glu6 order at Nine Lives Products by using coupon code Fall2013 at checkout until October 31st!

Thanks to Nine Lives Products for providing me with samples of these Glu6 Products for review. I have not been compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Fish Scale Patterned Paper Placemat

This is an easy project that is extra eco-friendly. I used a 2" hole punch to punch out circles from an old magazine and then pasted them onto an extra sheet of 12"x12" card stock. Even the glue was eco-friendly! I used Glu6 craft paste from Nine Lives Products, it is a new craft glue that is made from recycled styrofoam, how cool is that!? They make a few different glue products, all from styrofoam, you should definitely give them a try. The glue even smells kind of good, it reminded me of Gojo orange pumice hand cleaner, which all of my art classes used to have for us to use (elementary school and up). Totally nostalgic.

Start by punching out lots of circles from a magazine. I used an old fashion magazine, which had lots of super colorful ads and whatnot for great variety of small images, but any magazine should do the trick. You could also add in some newspaper images as well, but the ink on newspaper tends to smudge a bit.

I started at the bottom of my sheet of card stock and worked my way up to create this fish scale pattern. Your very bottom layer will use half circles. You could use a smaller or larger hole punch if you want, just make sure the size will fit evenly on your paper (since my paper is 12" wide, anything that divides evenly into 12 would work without needing to trim the paper).

Above you will see the finished starting row of my scales. To start the second row, choose a side to work from and you will again start with a half circle, as the fish scale pattern is staggered by an inch. The circles that are not on the ends will be full circles.

Continue your pattern up the sheet of card stock, as shown above. I tried to evenly disperse circles with lots of detail with circles that had solid color so that no one area was extra busy while one area was too plain, but overall it's a pretty colorful piece of work. Once your glue is dry you can coat this with a top coat or clear sealant. If using this for a place mat isn't your style, it would also make a great piece of wall art, or could be cut up into coasters. I'm thinking about lining the drawers in my craft desk with something like this!

Glu6 craft paste sample provided by Nine Lives Products, manufactured in the USA (CA). All opinions are my own.



All Craftinomicon readers can get 25% off their Glu6 order at Nine Lives Products by using coupon code Fall2013 at checkout until October 31st!