Frugal Friday

This isn’t a new idea, it’s one I have seen floating around the net for some time, but something I have always wanted to test out…making your own sticky spots (aka Glue Dots). So I located a tutorial (or twelve) printed one out and gave it a whirl…and here are my results…

The most basic instruction is to simply place small blobs of glue on a slick paper and let them dry overnight. The dried glue can then be removed from the paper, as needed, to adhere small embellishments such as flowers and buttons…my big question was what type of glue to use, what kind of paper to use and how can I store them so that I can travel with them to crops.


I made sample tests using Aileen’s Tacky Glue ($3), Aileen’s Tack It Over & Over glue ($5), Beacon’s 3-in-1 glue ($4) Beacon’s Zip Dry ($7) and Royal Coat Repositionable Glue ($6).


I placed blobs that were about ½” in diameter (or as close as I could get them), which is the size of Glue-Dots that I prefer.


I checked for dryness about every ten minutes…the Zip-Dry and 3-in-1 dried in about ten minutes, but after 50 minutes the rest were still wet. I gave up waiting…went to tap class…and checked back in the morning and everything was dried to the touch.


The sticky spot winner; Royal Coat Repositionable seemed to work the best and had a consistency similar to real Glue Dots, but a super close second was Aileen’s Tack it Over and Over.

The other glues did not remain sticky at all, so anyway you go it seems that repositionable glue is needed.

Zip Dry sample...not sticky


Aileen's Tacky Glue...not sticky


Repositionable Glue...very sticky!


My samples were done on left over paper backing from my Xyron machine (release paper) and on plastic sheets I had laying around which are from Staples and actually meant for report covers.


I found the sticky-spots that were on the left-over Xyron sheets were the easiest to remove and use.


I had a real hard time getting the sticky spots to even come off of the plastic report covers…which bummed me out, as they were the sturdiest for storage.

I did a quick search online to see if release paper was available for purchase, but only found it in large rolls, I assume for manufacturing uses. But all the “release papers” I saw online said they were silicone coated…if that helps any.

Then I had a brilliant idea, if you work in an office, keep track of those left-over label backing papers…great, another item destined for the garbage that I am going to start collecting…but be sure that if they aren’t coated on both sides, you fold the sheet in half so that the sticky-spots don’t stick to the un-coated side when you stack them…

As for storage…hmmm, that’s another big question, the packaging that real Glue Dots comes on is great for packing in your scrap kit and traveling around with…so how can I do something that will keep them organized and easy to travel with.


I decided that since the release paper was the best surface for them, I would trim that to 5” X 6” and store them in a zip lock baggie. I used a sandwich size baggie. Just make sure, since the sticky spots are…well…sticky, that you place a blank piece of release paper over the top, before you put it in the baggie. (yes…you can read into that: “lesson learned”…duh!)

So was the experiment worth it?

Here is the tally:
Cost: I had to buy the Tack It Over & Over and the Repositionable glues, but everything else I had on hand…The Repositionable glue, which worked the best, comes in a pretty big bottle which, I would guess, makes way more than 200 sticky spots, and costs about $6. Glue Dots, the ones I normally buy, come on a roll of 200 and cost about $4 a package.
Cats Annoyed: 3 (I did this experiment out in my studio…at dinnertime!...and they had to wait until after 7pm to be fed!)
Time: Total time for drying was overnight, but the active time was only about 5 minutes of blob placing and maybe 1 minute of paper prepping
Skill Level: basic

There you have it…easy peasy and cheap cheap!