Welcome back to the Helmar Blog, it's L. Grace Lauer back for a fantastically
easy project, thanks to Helmar Acid Free Glue. It can be made as simple as you want or embellish it with stunning flowers, gems and trinkets. Today I will be showing
you how to turn your favorite scrapbook paper (you know the stuff... it's been
in your stash for so long because you won't dare cut into it or cover it up with photos because it is so
pretty) into decorative wall art panels.
Are you ready to get started? Here we go...
Supplies:
- Helmar Acid Free Glue
- 12 x 12 wood board (as many as you desire to make) 1/2 inch thick (so you can add the hardware to the back)
- Scrapbook Papers to match your room (as many as you desire to make... it works best if you make them in pairs, 2, 4, 6, 8 depending on the space you wish to hang them.)
- Embellishments if you wish (I used Cricut cut letters for my phrase and flowers, gems, book pages and trinkets)
- Picture Hanging Hardware for the back
Step #1: Spread Helmar Acid Free Glue over 1/2 of your board (I bought a board at the big box hardware store and they even cut it for me into 12 x 12 blocks for free). I usually would not use so much glue but this is raw wood and it will absorb it faster. If you choose you can gesso the wood prior to this step and use less glue and save a painting step later on)
Step #2:
Place your scrapbook page over the top of the Helmar Acid Free Glue and use a
Helmar Glue Spreader/Old Credit Card/School ID. I prefer for this step a flimsy
credit card type card so that there is a softer touch to the paper minimalizing
the chance of snagging (Paper vs. Cardstock). Smooth the paper onto the glue by
starting in the center and moving out toward the edges.
Step #3: Take a sanding block and use it to distress/remove excess paper from around the edges. I also rounded the corners with this tool. Clean up any excess Helmar Acid Free Glue that may have been squished out in Step #2 and paint the sides of the boards (if you did not gesso them prior to step #1).
* You could be done at this point, if you want some simple panels (like the teal ones in the display photo at the top of this post.)
Step #4: Use Helmar Acid Free Glue to adhere your paper
letters as I did here. Actually I wound up using a tiny paint brush to apply
the glue to the back of the letters. Since my letters were thin and small.
The praise I chose to add was the Chinese Proverb: A Book is like a Garden carried in the pocket.
Step #5: Embellish as desired. I added these book pages using
steps #1 - #3.
Then using Helmar Premium Craft Glue and Helmar Gemstone Glue I adhered the flowers, gems and trinkets. Here is a final look at the entire panel with the 3D embelishments added.
Helmar Acid Free Glue is one of my go to Helmar glues.
It works on so many different things. Here are a few tips I have when using Helmar Acid Free Glue.
Tips for Helmar Acid Free Glue:
- Never pool Helmar Acid Free Glue in a puddle on the back of your papers. Make circles with the glue and quickly spread it around. This is liquid glue and you can tell your papers will feel cool to the touch from the moisture. Being a bit thicker then others on the market it doesn't warp your papers like other brands.
- Helmar Acid Free Glue dries clear which is a wonderful benefit, but it does have a bit of shine to it. Keep that in mind and try to get it on the front of your projects unless you plan on sealing it with a fixative or decoupage, then you will be good to go.
- Ways to apply Helmar Acid Free Glue to paper: With a paint brush, with a Helmar Scrapers and for your Embellishments: directly onto the back side of your paper embellishments like flowers, die cuts, chipboard shapes etc.
PS: Want to WIN some Helmar Goodies? Enter into our monthly contest. Check out the details and rules here: June's Challenge is a "Helmar Sketch Challenge". Also check out our Helmar Facebook Page!
