23 Projects For You And Hot Glue

Hot glue: the crafty warrior’s secret weapon. All it takes is a squirt and a few seconds drying time, and you have an instantly awesome project.

Hot Glue Tips

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-Don’t touch the metal part. This is a duh. But important.

-When you’re project’s finished, get rid of those pesky glue strings by blow-drying your project with your hair dryer (use a low-heat setting). Just don’t heat it too long, or you’ll weaken your craft.

-When gluing thin pieces of fabric together, don’t press with your fingers -- you might burn yourself.

-When you put your hot glue gun down, it will drip bits of glue. So don’t set it over something important. Try setting it on scrap poster board or foam board, or an old placemat.

-Keep a bowl of cool water nearby, just in case you do burn yourself.

And finally...

-Hot glue is great for decorative and jewelry projects, but it isn’t the most durable or adhesive glue out there. If it gets too hot, it will weaken again. You can find extra-strength hot glue at some craft stores, but hot glue isn't the answer to all of your adhesive prayers (looking to stick some glass to some metal? How about some plastic to some wood? Try E-6000 instead).

-This means you shouldn't use hot glue to fix the bottom of your shoe, a broken coffee mug handle, or that little rhinestone that fell off of you kitty's collar.

1. Curled Recycled Book Pages Rose Wreath

i693.photobucket.com / Via bystephanielynn.com

Go to your local used bookstore and find a book or two that obviously no one will really want to read again. Make sure they have matching paper, or that you intentionally mix paper types in your project. This project may take a weekend to finish, though.

2. Felt Flowers

lh3.googleusercontent.com / Via milesofsunshine.blogspot.com

You make them petal by petal, but they're pretty simple. They'd be pretty as a wall decoration, glued to a pillow, or hung on a door. Tutorial here.

3. Sweater Cuff Bangle

blogger.com / Via elementalcarbon.blogspot.com

Cat snag your sweater? Turn what remains of it into a bangle (or two) that you can wear through the summer. Directions here.

4. Confetti Hearts

umbrella-eqal.s3.amazonaws.com / Via elizabethbanks.com

There are so many uses for this awesome technique, including these tribute cake toppers. All it takes is parchment paper, some hot glue, and some confetti -- directions here.

5. Wine Cork Letters

wordpress.com / Via asmithofalltrades.com

You'll either have to drink a bunch of wine or beg your friends to give you their corks (we prefer the former). You can do this with any wooden shape you find. Hang it in your kitchen, above your bar, or on your front door.

6. Fabric-Covered Mail Organizer

blogger.com / Via noodle-head.com

For when you maybe actually stop just throwing the mail on the kitchen table (pfft). Directions here.

7. Wood Shim Crates

blogger.com / Via craftiments.com

Since they're made with cardboard boxes, you probably don't want to keep them outside (or you could find pine boxes to cover). Also, don't bother cutting individual wood shims, just buy some. They're cheap. Directions here.

8. Bow Tie Toothpicks

Via stylemepretty.com

Um, you don't have to stick them on toothpicks. Stick them on a barrette, or clothes pins, or whatever you think needs a bow. Directions here.

9. Chrysanthemum Mirror

addicted2decorating.com / Via addicted2decorating.com

Using, you guessed it, plastic spoons! No, really. It's a bit time-consuming, but gorgeous in the end. Photographed step-by-step here.

10. Button Bobby Pins

images.coplusk.net / Via cutoutandkeep.net

They don't come with instructions, but it's pretty obvious: just hot glue some buttons onto the end of some bobby pins. Slip some paper into the pins to hold them steady while you glue, and to make sure you don't glue them together. Originally here.

11. Graphic Studded Cork Board

blogger.com / Via brooklynlimestone.com

You can make every functional part of your life decorative, if you felt like it. This tutorial's pretty basic, and costs about $12. Add extra sparkle with some glittered push pins.

12. Bottle Cap Magnets

images.meredith.com / Via bhg.com

Now you can show your pride in your local craft beer right on your fridge. Basic instructions here.

13. Doily Bib Necklace

blogger.com / Via rufflesandstuff.com

Why hand stitch when you can hot glue? Your friends won't know, unless you tell them. Or unless you all make them. Originally here.

14. Melted Crayon Art

pinfoody.com / Via pinfoody.com

You just feed crayons through a glue gun onto a canvas. We're not sure how you'd get the wax out later, though. Originally here.

15. Felt Flower Pillow

blogger.com / Via classyclutter.net

In a brilliant Z Gallerie knockoff, a blogger created this easy-peasy pillow. It's purely decorative though, as heavy use would probably peel those petals right off. Directions here.

16. Scrap Felt Mat

d2a4yiqkj65fuq.cloudfront.net / Via thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com

Even the blogger admits that it's almost too pretty to walk on, but maybe you could hang it on your wall? Originally here, with technique directions here.

17. Driftwood Orb

blogger.com / Via creativeinchicago.com

Pretend your tiny apartment is actually a beach house. We're not sure where you'd find all the driftwood in the city...maybe you'd have to wait for your vacation. Whatever. Worth it, because this craft's so pretty and so easy. Directions here.

18. Chevron Cold-Dye Tie-Dye

blogger.com / Via sewcando.com

These instructions show how to do it for kid's outfits, but a skirt or some shorts would look really awesome in this pattern.

19. More Felt Flowers

lh4.googleusercontent.com / Via pleasenotepaper.com

Except this time, they're roses. Instead of gluing them on stems, you could put them on a wreath, a headband, or a necklace. Directions here.

20. Sisal Coasters

thespacebetweenblog.net / Via thespacebetweenblog.net

Use them as a housewarming gift, or just to protect your precious Ikea LACK table (we know you have one). Directions here.

21. Wrought Iron Toilet Paper Roll Art

blogger.com / Via kiflieslevendula.blogspot.com

Usually art made from old toilet paper rolls looks a little preschool project, but this one's elegant. The actual tutorial's in Hungarian, but the concept's simple enough, and the image are almost self-explanatory.

22. Fabric Flower Necklace

blogger.com / Via agirlandagluegun.com

It looks like something you'd find at Anthro, but you won't have to pay more than $25 for the materials. Illustrated directions here.

23. Heartfelt Straws

bridalmusings.com / Via blushprintables.blogspot.com

They're a little cheesy, but whatever. Maybe you will only make them once for a baby or wedding shower. But they're just so damn pretty. You can find grey straws here, and the bare-bones directions here.