Napkin Crafting

2/3/2020

A few months back, I was introduced to something called a "Glue Book". It's nothing fancy and a person creates it from their perspective.

You can use composition books, watercolor books, regular scrapbooking paper (make your own book), old magazines, other types of books (these can be found at thrift stores, etc). The sky is the limit here. 

There can be collages, words, quotes, drawings, poems, painting - just about anything you want to put on a page. After all, it's how a person envisions the page to be brought to life.

I currently have 5 different "glue books" going. Two of them I use as a journal - the only exception is, I glue things to the pages like bold words, or maybe even an image.

This particular napkin was Rice paper

I have one that I strictly use napkins in. I love crafting with napkins. I have made handmade envelopes with napkins. I've altered canvases with napkins. I've made cards using napkins. Tags - all sorts of things.

This one I used distressed inks and the napkin. There is a cluster of flowers with eyelash fibers also. 

Working with napkins takes a little bit of patience, and there are several different techniques to get the result you want. Did you know that most napkins have at least3 layers of paper on them? Have you ever tried taking the layers apart...not an easy thing to achieve with only your hands!

Stenciled doily and pieces of napkin along with washi tape & bling

I distressed the page with Tim Holtz ink pads before applying the napkin.

I use a couple of different things to separate the napkins. The easiest thing I've found is a small piece of scotch tape placed on the back of the napkin. Waaalaaa, one layer has been removed. (now be careful, 'not' to tear the front part of the napkin. Then do this again to remove the additional layers. One time, a napkin I was working with had 6 layers! You can also use a needle or a straight pin to separate the layers. Don't prick your fingers though...

After the napkins have been separated, one of the techniques is to place a napkin on a piece of wax paper - place a towel over it and run a hot iron over it. You may have to do this several times to get the result where you want it. The heat adheres the napkin to the wax paper and then you can move forward in crafting. That technique didn't work so hot for me (no pun intended). I never have been able to get the napkins to fully adhere to the wax paper.

My technique and that of many other crafters is to use mod podge or another type of wet glue (thin is best). I apply my mod podge to my page or whatever medium I am working on. I then place the napkin down very carefully to ensure there are no creases in it. I gently press it into place and let it dry. Occasionally, I even take a paintbrush and swipe over the napkin - but this isn't recommended as it will tear the napkin. But if that happens, it's an easy fix - you can either put another piece of napkin there or better yet, embellish that area! :-)

Wax paper with remnants of napkins along with one of my handmade flowers. I made a Glassine bag out of this piece. 

Today, I am going to have the opportunity to work with a young man who homeschools. For his arts and craft time in class, I am going to show him how to create his very own glue book. He has been gathering up different pamphlets from a few field trips he's taken over the last several weeks and he will use these to begin bringing the pages to life.

Happy Crafting everyone...

~~Heart to Heart Soul Creations

H2hsc2020