Supplies you will need:

• AdTech® Project Pro Glue Gun  Click here to buy on Amazon (You can also use the lo-temp mini gun featured in the ghost lights post.)
• AdTech® Multi-Temp Mini-Size Glue Sticks  Click here to buy on Amazon
• Battery-operated LED string lights (Must be LED bulbs that don’t heat up! This project has not been tested with plug-in LED lights.)

IMPORTANT: Anything made with hot glue will start to melt above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not leave your finished project in a hot car, near a heater, run it through your clothes dryer, etc. 

Step one: Cut the glue stick to size and attach the glue sticks to the lights.

The number of glue sticks you’ll need depends on how many LED lights you have on your string. I used our 4-inch mini glue sticks, cut them in half and put one half on each light. You will also need extra glue sticks for the texture layers. I highly suggest you use AdTech glue sticks because they are transparent and won’t yellow like other glue sticks!

Heat up your glue gun. I usually prefer a low-temperature glue gun for this type of project because it will make your glue stick base less soft while you’re working, BUT I decided to use the Project Pro this time because it’s a great little gun, and the hi-temp cures more transparent (and icicle-like) than the lo-temp.

Pick up a glue stick and push the nozzle of the gun into the end of the glue stick to melt a divot into it – long enough to submerge the bulb part of the light.

IMMEDIATELY push one of the light bulbs into the glue divot to bond. Hold for a few seconds until it bonds. If it doesn’t bond all of the way, just add a little hot glue around the top of the bulb to bond it in place.

Step two: Add hot glue layers.

Using your hot glue gun, add layers of hot glue over the glue stick base, alternating sides. If your glue stick base starts getting too warm and flexible, wait minute or so before adding more hot glue. Patience is key.

Just keep adding lines of hot glue until you get the shape you want. Add a dribble to the bottom to make it “pointy”.

That’s it! Each icicle takes a little bit of time, but you will end up with something really unique and inexpensive. I hope you enjoy this project and I wish you the happiest of holidays!

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation!

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech® 0450 Lo-Temp Glue Gun  Click here to buy on Amazon
• AdTech® Multi-Temp Mini-Size Glue Sticks  Click here to buy on Amazon
• Battery-operated LED string lights (Must be LED bulbs that don’t heat up! This project has not been tested with plug-in LED lights.)
• Tiny beads for the eyes

IMPORTANT: Anything made with hot glue will start to melt above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not leave your finished project in a hot car, near a heater, run it through your clothes dryer, etc. 

Step one: Attach the glue stick to one of the lights.

The number of glue sticks you’ll need depends on how many LED lights you have on your string. I used 4-inch mini glue sticks and put one on each light. You can cut them down if you want smaller ghosts, or if your glue sticks happen to be a longer length. I cut mine down to about 2 1/2 inches long. You will also need extra glue sticks for the texture layers and arms.

Heat up your glue gun. I prefer a low-temperature glue gun for this project because it will make your glue stick base less soft while you’re working, and your hot glue will be less runny.

Pick up a glue stick and push the nozzle of the gun into the end of the glue stick to melt a divot into it – long enough to submerse the bulb part of the light.

IMMEDIATELY push one of the light bulbs into the glue divot to bond. Hold for a few seconds until it bonds. If it doesn’t bond all of the way, just add a little hot glue around the top of the bulb to bond it in place.

Tip: You can leave these glue stick lights as-is. They look pretty cool just as plain sticks and will put off more light than the bulbs alone. Another alternative to ghosts is to make icicle lights for the winter season. There are a ton of things you can do with glue sticks and lights!

Cut your sticks if necessary. I cut mine down to about 2 1/2 inches long.

Step two: Add hot glue layers.

Using your hot glue gun, add layers of hot glue over the glue stick base, alternating sides. If your glue stick base starts getting too warm and flexible, wait a few seconds before adding more hot glue.

Just keep adding lines of hot glue until you get the shape you want.

Step three: Add arms (optional).

If you want your ghosts to have arms, just add a blob of glue and hold your ghost at an angle so the blob “wings out”. You can also use AdTech’s Finger Guards to shape the arms once the glue has cooled a little.

Step four: Add the eyes.

You can add any kind of eyes. I found that tiny beads work well. Just hot glue the beads onto the head area.

That’s it! Each ghost takes a little bit of time, but you will end up with something really unique and inexpensive. I hope you enjoy this project using hot glue as a medium!

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation!

Crystals and geodes are all the rage right now. Since we did our crystal post a couple of months ago, it only made sense to make geodes too!

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech® Pro80 Glue Gun  –  Buy on Amazon
• AdTech® Multi-Temp Full-Size Glue Sticks (Very important for clarity!)  –  Buy on Amazon
• Parchment paper (baking paper)
• Small cup
• Utility knife
• Cutting board
• Alcohol markers or acrylic paints in colors you love
• Embellishments – such as dark sand, chunky glitter, gold or silver paint, faux gold or silver leaf, metallic nail polish, etc.
• Clear nail polish or gloss lacquer

IMPORTANT: Anything made with hot glue will start melt above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not leave your finished project in a hot car, near a heater, run it through your clothes dryer, etc. 

Step one: Cut the glue sticks to make crystals

This is what your end-goal should be… 3-6 main crystals, some chunks and some fine crystals. I highly suggest you use AdTech® Multi-Temp glue sticks because they are the most transparent out there and have non-yellowing properties built in!

Main Crystals: You’ll want to refer to this blog post for instructions on how to carve crystals out of hot glue sticks. Be very careful! Cut slowly and carefully, so you end up with no rounded edges left. Cut the angles on the tip and then cut off that crystal – about an inch or less in length. (Keep the scraps! See below.) Usually I can get 2-3 little crystals out of each carved section. Make them different heights. Then, if you have more of the piece that you just carved, cut tip angles on that as well and cut it so it’s an inch or less in length. Do this until you have 3-5 little crystals.

Crystal Chunks: You can use your scraps for the chunks. Cut the strips with scissors or your knife. I also use a fresh glue stick and cut angles off the end with my knife for the chunks.

Fine Crystals: You will want to refer to this blog post for instructions on how to do these. Cut them up and put aside. OR… you can use the long slices above and cut them into tiny shards with scissors. That should work as well.

Step two: Make the parchment paper mold

Next, you need to make your geode base. Take a square piece or parchment paper and loosely fold it into a cone shape.

Squeeze the paper into a crinkled cone. We do this so that the base will look rough and more rock-like.

Place the cone into a small cup and fold over the edges. Make the bottom somewhat flat, so your geode will have a flat bottom and sit well.

Step three: Create the glue base

Today, I’m using our full-size, high-temp Pro 80 glue gun, because it has great output and makes creating the geode bases quick and easy. You can use pretty much any AdTech® glue gun though – depending on the size of your geodes.

Start applying glue around the top edge of the paper cone. Let it dribble down and coat the paper. You can pick up the cup and angle the cup so that the glue coats more evenly. Continue applying glue so the paper is covered completely. Let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes! Hot glue that is applied thick like this takes longer to cure.

Once cured, remove the parchment paper. You can trim the edges of your base with scissors if you’d like, but rough is good!

Step four:

The geodes look beautiful clear, but this is the step where you’d color them if you’d like a different look. Here I’m using a Marvy Uchida Le Plume alcohol marker to color just the bottom and bottom edges of the crystals. You can use a very light coating of acrylic paint as well. The color will reflect up into the crystal without looking fake. Sometimes I will also color the inside of the base with markers or paint as well. I did that a little for this geode, as you can see in one of the photos below.

Next, put some hot glue on the bottom of your crystal and place it in the base. Crystals naturally grow at various angles, so don’t make them perfect. You can always look at photos of geodes online for inspiration!

Next, add your chunks by hot gluing them around the larger crystals. Try to place them so that you don’t see many rounded edges from the glue sticks.

After that, add your fine crystals by applying hot glue to the base and then sprinkling the fine crystals on, or pushing that part of base into a pile of fine crystals. Do small sections at a time.

Step five: Make your base more realistic

For this geode, I am painting the base with black paint, and then hot gluing black sand over it, and gluing chunky gold glitter to the edges.  Don’t put anything on the bottom, because the geode will look much prettier when the light can come through the bottom a bit!

I got the black sand at Dollar Tree, and the chunky glitter can be purchased at most craft stores. Often, I will use faux gold/copper/silver leaf on the geodes too. (Use a liquid adhesive to stick those.)

Step six: Shine it up with a coat of nail polish

Your geode will look more realistic and beautiful with a coat of clear nail polish. Non-yellowing is best. Once you’re done, you can leave your geodes as-is, or add some jewelry findings and made a necklace or brooch!

That’s it! Now you have a beautiful geode! I think this has been my favorite hot glue invention since working here at AdTech. It was fun and exciting creating this project for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and I hope you’ll share it with your friends.

Here’s a photo of the geodes sitting on some battery-operated LED lights. (LED lights don’t get very warm. I have made geodes and attached them to the tops of white LED tea lights for a neat effect. Yes… I use the word, “neat”. Haha.)

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation!

While out and about, I am always drawn to the pressed glass I come across. It’s so beautiful, and not many people collect it or use it anymore. I shudder to think of how much of it ends up in the garbage.

In my latest experiment with hot glue, I decided to try my hand at making hot glue impressions from glass. It’s incredibly simple, and the result is gorgeous. Read on to learn how to make this simple project with your handy glue gun!

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech® 0400 High Temp Glue Gun  Click here to buy on Amazon
• AdTech® Multi-Temp Full-Size Glue Sticks (Very important for clarity!)  Click here to buy on Amazon
• Depression glass (or any non-porous surface than can handle heat)
• Hand cream (I like Silicone Glove by Avon for its non-stick properties) or petroleum jelly
• Cotton swabs
• Jewelry findings (earring wires, o-rings, etc.)

IMPORTANT: Anything made with hot glue will start melt above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not leave your finished project in a hot car, near a heater, run it through your clothes dryer, etc. 

Step one: Apply hand cream to the depression glass.

Add a small amount to your finger and rub it into the crevices of the glass. I highly recommend Avon’s Silicone Glove, because it has amazing non-stick properties! If you don’t have access to the cream, you can use petroleum jelly (Vaseline).

Step two: Remove excess.

Use a cotton swab to remove any excess amounts of cream from the crevices. You want the glass coated just slightly, but if you leave globs of cream in the crevices, your design will not be as crisp.

Step three: Apply hot glue over design.

A full-sized glue gun is helpful here because it’s easier to squeeze out more glue quickly and smoothly. As you can see, I propped the dish onto a pencil so it was more level. The quicker you get the glue onto the glass, the better. Let is cure completely – for about 5-10 minutes depending on the amount and thickness of glue – then carefully peel off.

Pro Tip – If you want your glue to cure more clear, you can try carefully dipping it into cool water as it’s curing. (Don’t use ice cold water, because your glass could shatter!) You can see the different in the two samples below. The one on the left was cured normally at room temperature, and the one on the right was cured by gently running cool water on it for about 60 seconds. Remember to use AdTech brand glue. It’s the most transparent and glass-like.

Step  four: Wash them off – then color with alcohol markers, add glitter polish, jewelry findings… whatever you want!

At this point, you can do whatever you’d like to make your own personalized pieces. (Use a leather punch or scrapbooking hole punch to make the holes.) I actually enjoy these plain, but I’ve also had fun adding glitter nail polish, alcohol inks, permanent marker, tinted nail polish and more. Just make sure you wash them well with soap and water beforehand, or give them a good cleaning with some rubbing alcohol. Adding a coat of non-yellowing clear nail polish can make them shiny and more glass-like.

I kept these earrings pretty simple, but feel free to add beads or more tiers to make them fancier! Have fun creating!

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation!

The instructions are the same as the flower shirt (click here for that post), except that you want to make a shamrock shape out of hot glue instead.

Read on for instructions on how to make this awesome shirt for yourself, or your favorite leprechaun!

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech Pro 80 Glue Gun —> Get a 20% off Amazon coupon while supplies last! Click here!
• Full-size AdTech Multi-Temp hot glue sticks —> Click here to buy on Amazon!
• Parchment (baking) paper or a large silicone mat
• A green cotton t-shirt (I used a kid-sized.)
• Bleach
• A spray bottle
• An old toothbrush (optional)

Step one: Warm up your glue gun

Load your glue gun with a glue stick and let it warm up. I highly recommend you do this project with a high-quality, full-size glue gun because this project uses a good amount of hot glue, and you want good flow when laying your glue lines. The AdTech Pro 80 warms up really quick and puts out a lot of glue quickly and easily, AND it comes with 3 interchangeable applicator tips! (I love this glue gun! It’s my personal fave.)

Step two: Create your hot glue stencil

Lay down a large sheet of parchment paper. You can freehand your design, or place a drawing or printout of a design under the parchment and trace it with the hot glue. Squeeze the trigger and lay down your glue in a shamrock shape – which is basically 3 or 4 hearts with a stem.

Then, let it cure for a few minutes and peel your hot glue stencil off the paper. Don’t worry about little glue strings that you might see. They don’t really matter in this project.

Step three: Prep the shirt

Lay your t-shirt out and place some cardboard inside to protect the back of the shirt. Place your new glue stencil onto your shirt and press it down flat with your hands.

Step four: Apply the bleach

Wear your eye protection (safety first!) and pour some bleach into your spray bottle. Lightly spray a fine mist over your design… 2-3 pumps. Let the bleach do it’s work for at least 15 minutes before you decide to spray again. If you’d like more of a blotchy look with bigger drops, you can dip an old toothbrush into bleach, and splatter the bleach onto the shirt by bending the bristles with your thumb and letting go.

See photos of this step here, in our bleached flower shirt post.

Step five: Wash the shirt

Once you get the shirt lightened to your satisfaction, remove the stencil. (You can reuse it!) You can then launder the shirt, but either wash it alone or rinse it well before laundering with other clothes so you don’t get remaining bleach on anything.

One of our staff members brought the shirt home and took a photo of it on her daughter. Isn’t she the cutest little leprechaun?

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation!

Something about t-shirt projects remind me of spring. I guess that’s because I live in New England, and most of us break out the short sleeves starting in March – wearing a hoodie or sweater over it most of the time. (New England weather is cray!)

This project is really fun and doesn’t require a crazy amount of skill. The result is a pretty batik-style design that is very forgiving to the not-so-crafty-crafter.

So, let’s usher in spring with this adorable, wearable project! Grab your AdTech glue gun and read on…

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech Pro 80 Glue Gun —> Get a 20% off Amazon coupon while supplies last! Click here!
• Full-size AdTech Multi-Temp hot glue sticks —> Click here to buy on Amazon!
• Parchment (baking) paper or a large silicone mat
• A colored cotton t-shirt (I used a kid-sized.)
• Bleach
• A spray bottle
• An old toothbrush (optional)

Step one: Warm up your glue gun

Load your glue gun with a glue stick and let it warm up. I highly recommend you do this project with a high-quality, full-size glue gun because this project uses a good amount of hot glue, and you want good flow when laying your glue lines. The AdTech Pro 80 warms up really quick and puts out a lot of glue quickly and easily, AND it comes with 3 interchangeable applicator tips! (I love this glue gun! It’s my personal fave.)

Step two: Create your hot glue stencil

Lay down a large sheet of parchment paper. You can freehand your design, or place a drawing or printout of a design under the parchment and trace it with the hot glue. Squeeze the trigger and lay down your glue. Just have fun with this! Be silly. Be sloppy. Be perfect. Whatever! Then, let it cure for a few minutes and peel your hot glue stencil off the paper. Don’t worry about little glue strings that you might see. They don’t really matter in this project.

Step three: Prep the shirt

Lay your t-shirt out and place some cardboard inside to protect the back of the shirt. Place your new glue stencil onto your shirt and press it down flat with your hands.

Step four: Apply the bleach

Wear your eye protection (safety first!) and pour some bleach into your spray bottle. Lightly spray a fine mist over your design… 2-3 pumps. Let the bleach do it’s work for at least 15 minutes before you decide to spray again. If you’d like more of a blotchy look with bigger drops, you can dip an old toothbrush into bleach, and splatter the bleach onto the shirt by bending the bristles with your thumb and letting go.

Step five: Wash the shirt

Once you get the shirt lightened to your satisfaction, remove the stencil. (You can reuse it!) You can then launder the shirt, but either wash it alone or rinse it well before laundering with other clothes so you don’t get remaining bleach on anything.

So pretty, right? I made flowers, but feel free to make any shape you want. Try it on jeans, pillows, sheets, towels…. any fabric that will fade with bleach. I hope you enjoyed this project!

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation!

One of my favorite statement jewelry pieces is a crystal necklace, made by my good friend, Jessica. I get a lot of comments on it, likely because it combines three very unique elements: a crystal, a bullet casing, and a Day of the Dead skull bead.

For a while, I thought it would be cool to make some necklaces like this on my own… until I discovered that buying nice-looking crystals (cough, ones that didn’t look like they were made of plastic) could cost $10 a pop domestically. Yikes.

Then Chris pointed out that glue sticks look an awful lot like uncarved crystals. Light bulb moment! Suddenly she was taking Multi-Temp sticks and cutting the ends off to make faux “crystals” that looked like the real deal!

AdTech glue sticks are perfect for this because AdTech’s claim-to-fame is having the clearest glue sticks in the world. They don’t have that yellow undertone that a lot of generic sticks have, so when the “crystals” are complete, they have a pure, clear sheen. Also, they won’t turn yellow over time; they’ll stay clear. They’re just beautiful!

All right, let’s get down to how to make your own hot glue crystal necklace. They take less than 30 minutes!

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech® Multi-Temp glue sticks –> Click here to buy on Amazon (We highly recommend AdTech® glue sticks for jewelry because they don’t yellow!)
• Utility knife
• Clear nail polish (choose a non-yellowing brand if possible)
• Eye pins
• Bead caps (approximately 10-12mm in size)
• Necklace chain (if you use a pre-made chain with a large closure, you might also need jump rings)
• Jewelry pliers with wire cutter feature
• Le Plume alcohol markers in light colors

Step one: Choose your glue stick

Full-size glue sticks work well for crystal necklaces like mine, because they make a statement. If you want to do a pair of dangly earrings, you might choose the minis.

Step 2: Carve the sides

**Warning!** Safety first! Blade away from your body, guys!

Use a new blade, and be very careful! Holding the glue stick down along the edge of a cutting board and starting about 3 inches from the end, slice one side of the glue stick. It’s best to brace the knife along the cutting board as you go, keeping the slice as even as possible. Do this 5-7 times until all of the curved sides of the glue stick are gone.

Step 3: Carve the end to a point

Hold the glue stick at a 45 degree angle and slice from one of the flat sides towards the core of the glue stick. You want to do this in a quick “chopping” motion, hitting the cutting board as you do it. One fell swoop! That will give you the straightest angle cuts. Repeat this on an opposite side, and then repeat 2-3 more times until you are happy with the end of your crystal.

*Pro Tip: Look at crystals online to get an idea shapes found in nature.

Step 4: Shorten the stick

Use your knife and cut the crystal from the stick. At this point you can check to see how well your bead cap will fit the top. If needed, you can carve a little bit of the crystal away or round it to fit the bead cap better.

Step 5: Color your crystal (optional)

Our designer/marketer, Chris, was at a trade show with other craft companies and scored some Le Plume Alcohol Ink Markers from Marvy Uchida. They are perfect for tinting our hot glue projects! (Thanks, Rick C! We wish we knew about these when we did our Beach Glass earrings post…) If you don’t have any, we highly recommend you pick up a few – or a whole box! They are amazing.

For a natural look, less is more! Use very light colors. We used the lightest of the pastels for ours. You can also use more than one color per crystal for a rainbow effect. Chris likes to just add a stripe of color alond the center of each flat side. She does not color the ends or anything else. This gives the most natural look.

Step 6: Add bead cap and eye pin

Hot glue the bead cap to the top, keeping as straight as possible. Cut the eye pin to about 2/8″ long and push into the top of the crystal through the bead cap. If needed, hold the crystal upside down and push onto a hard surface.

Step 6: Seal and shine with clear polish

Choose a high-quality nail polish for this part so it’s non-yellowing. (We picture a cheap one above because it’s what we always have on hand for quick seals and repairs, but choose a brand you’re confident won’t taint your crystal over time.) Having the bead cap on prior to this step will make the crystal easier to handle. We discovered this after making a few crystals, so although the picture below doesn’t display the bead cap, this is the way we recommend you go!

Step 7: Add a chain

A simple ball-chain is best, because you won’t have to worry about squeezing a clasp through the eye-pin. If you want a fancier chain, loop a jump-ring through the eye-pin and close around your chain with pliers.

Love what you create? We’ll love it, too! Snap a pic and post on Instagram, and make sure you tag @adtech so we don’t miss it. If you want the world to see it, use our new hashtag #glueasamedium, too.

If you’re looking for a “sweet” project (guilt-free) to do with friends this Valentine’s Day, look no further!

Supplies you will need:

• AdTech® 2Temp Glue Gun —> Click here to buy from Amazon
• Full Size AdTech® Multi-Temp Glue Sticks –> Click here to buy from Amazon
  (We strongly recommend AdTech® hot glue for clear jewelry that won’t yellow!)
• Colored toothpicks (you can buy them colored, or paint them yourself)
• Short eyepins, or regular eyepins and wire cutters
• A silver ball chain
• Plain, shiny beads, with a small hole that will fit a toothpick
• Scissors
• Clear nail polish
• Parchment (baking) paper or a silicone mat

Step one: Warm up your glue gun

Load it with a glue stick and place it over your parchment paper (or silicone mat). If you’re working with younger crafters, use the low setting; otherwise, high will work well.

Step two: Lay glue lines, long and thin

You’ll need 10-12 strings, about 8″ long. Allow them to cool completely, then peel from away from parchment paper/mat. Once you’ve laid all the glue you need, move your glue gun to the low setting.

Step three: Bundle the strings together, and cut

You’re going to create “sugar crystals” this way, so cut in 1/8″-1/4″ shards, over and over, into a small pile, as shown.

Steps four and five: Glue your toothpick and dip into shards

Coat 1/2 the toothpick completely with glue. Before the glue sets, roll it in the pile of “sugar crystals” you created.

Step six: Keep rolling

You’ll need to add dots of glue to the crystals you’ve added to the toothpick in order to keep adding layers and getting the “rock candy” to your desired thickness. Careful not to burn your fingers! (AdTech® Finger Guards are great for this part of the project!)

Step seven: Add your eyepin

Trim any long crystals that stick out, and then add your eyepin. If you have a short one, just push it into the end of the top end of the rock candy. If you need to trim a longer eyepin down, do so until it’s 1/4″-1/2 long.

Step eight: Coat rock candy with clear nail polish

This will give it a shiny look. Prop up to air dry so it doesn’t stick to your work surface. Seal the toothpick with nail polish as well.

Step nine: Add the bead

Glue your small bead to the end of the toothpick.

Step ten: String onto the necklace chain

… and you’re done!

Love what you created? We will, too! Tag us in your image on Instagram, @adtech. Use the hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so others can see your creation! And remember not to leave your rock candy necklace in a warm car or anywhere that might exceed 120 degrees, as the glue will soften.

Now it’s time to get back on track, though, and we’ve got some AMAZING project ideas coming to you in the coming weeks! Kicking things off? Sea glass… made from hot glue.

That’s right. There are so many applications for this, my mind almost bursts. I remember being a kid and trying to find sea glass and sand dollars along the beach (I grew up near the coast), and some days I had awesome hauls, but most days were a bust. Imagine not only being able to make your own “sea glass,” but being able to make it into whatever shape you want. The possibilities are endless!

Here are the tools you’ll need:

• AdTech Full-Size HiTemp glue gun (You can also find AdTech glue guns and glue sticks at your local WalMart, as well as many craft/hardware stores)
• AdTech Full-Size MultiTemp glue sticks (AdTech glue sticks are strongly recommended, so your jewelry will be clear and won’t yellow!)
• Acrylic paint in sea glass colors (green, blue, etcetera) and a bit of water
• Silicone mat or parchment (baking) paper
• Paint brush or cotton swabs
• Paper towel
• Scissors
• Optional: Acrylic seal, matte (you can get this at most Michael’s stores, too – bring your coupon!)
• Leather punch (can be found at hardware store for about $10), or small paper punch such as a Cropodile
• Earring hooks
• Jump rings (to match earring hooks)
• Pliers
• Optional: Textured glass and vaseline, for making “glass” that looks like it came from a particular bottle or dish

Step one: Lay out your silicone mat.

A silicone mat is a vital tool for anyone working with hot glue. In this case, it is essential because you’re going to draw your designs directly on the mat and then peel them up. Alternatively, you can use a sheet parchment (baking) paper.

Step two: Warm up your glue gun.

Pro tip: Always keep your gun upright, on its stand, and never on its side. Although sometimes we set our glue guns on their sides to prevent them from dripping, this can cause the glue chamber to clog or overheat.

Step three: Mix acrylic paint in water.

Sea glass can vary from almost opaque to almost transparent, so dilute your colors according to how you’d like the sea glass to look, knowing that you’re going to use your fingers to rub a lot of the paint off.

Step four: Make shapes using hot glue.

If you want to make drop earrings, draw a teardrop with your glue gun and then fill in the open spaces. If you want circles, make circles by squeezing your glue gun trigger several times in the same spot about 1/2″ from your silicone mat.

If you’d like to create that “broken glass” look of sea glass you find along the beach (such as pictured in this post), keep pumping your glue to create a long, wide, flat sheet. (If you have more than one silicone mat, you could try lying the second one over the glue to ensure an even, flat surface.) Then, when it has cooled completely, you can use scissors to create “broken” edges. This is the method we used for the earrings in this post!

Step five: Allow glue to cool completely.

Depending on how much glue you’re using, this could take 10-15 minutes. You can expedite the process by tucking the silicone mat into the freezer for 5 minutes. I prefer to take a tea break, myself, and check my messages, but whatever works for you!

Step six: Peel and paint.

Peel your creations off the mat, trim any strings with scissors, and start adding color.

Because the paint will be watered down, cohesion will create little pockets of color on your piece and make it seem uneven. That’s okay. You’re actually going to rub a lot of the color into the glue using your fingers, and this will even it out.

Try to keep only a thin layer of paint on the surface to make the rubbing process easier and more effective. You can always add more color if you need to.

Step seven: Rub it off, rub it in.

Take a paper towel to the paint and wipe it off. Some stain will be left behind; this is what you want. When you’ve gotten as much off as you can with the paper towel, use your fingers to rub what’s left of the color into the glue. This will create that translucent effect as well as even out the color. Add more color as needed if you want the statement to be bolder.

Pro tip: Rubbing alcohol will usually help clean up any mistakes.

Step eight: Cut the glue into jagged pieces.

This step applies to any glue you didn’t pump out of your glue gun into the shape you wanted. Sea glass along the beach is rarely a perfect teardrop shape, for example, so for more authentic look you may want to trim the glue pieces down to more organic-looking pieces.

Pro tip: Cut at a slant, rather than straight up-and-down. When glass breaks, it breaks in a jagged way, so cutting at a slant will make the pieces look more glass-like. Of course, you can also use this technique to create a beveled effect, which is what we did for this pair of earrings!

Step nine (optional): Seal the acrylic.

Because acrylic is a water-based paint, if you get any moisture on your sea glass, they may possibly bleed. Follow the instructions on the acrylic seal container, and make sure you use matte seal to retain that sea glass texture you’ve created with the glue.

Step ten: Punch holes into the “sea glass.”

Use a small setting on your leather punch, find a safe spot for the hole, squeeze, and (this is important) twist gently. Once you’ve given a good firm twist in 180 degrees in either direction, you can pull the punch loose, and you should have a nice, round hole. Repeat on the second piece of sea glass. (If you’re using a paper punch, just punch as usual.)

Step eleven: Add jump rings and earring hooks.

Use your pliers to open 4 jump rings – two for each earring. Loop the first ring through each hole, and squeeze closed; then loop the second jump ring through the first. Before you close the second ring, loop on your earring hook.

Be sure before you close the second ring on each earring that the sea glass pieces are going to face the way you want them to face once the earrings are in your ears. The “front” of the sea glass should be facing the side of the earring where the bend in the hook faces out, not the part where it goes through your ear.

Step twelve: When you get compliments on your “sea glass” earrings, say, “These are hot glue!”

It’s amazing what you can do with hot glue when you think of it as a medium, and not just as a way to bind two other materials together. In the coming weeks, look forward to seeing how we use glue to make… well, we won’t give it away. You’ll just have to stay tuned and find out what you can create!

Maintenance tip: Do not store your earrings anywhere that might exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, as the glue will soften and reshape. It may also stick to things you don’t want it to! Never leave your earrings in a warm car, for example, as you may never be able to get them out…

Love what you created? Post it on Instagram, and tag @adtech so we can see it! Use our new hashtags #glueasamedium and #thisishotglue so the world can see it, too. Stay creative, keep creating!