Xyron Tips

When using adhesives on a scrapbook page I want a good strong hold and the snail just ain’t gonna cut it. That’s when I turn to the Xyron. I get full even coverage and a bond that seems unbreakable – though I haven’t been using it for 20 years to really tell. But Xyron adhesive is expensive so I have developed a few work arounds to get the most for my money.

Gang ‘em up!

A bit of repositionable tape (repo) works wonders keeping small items lined up to go through the machine. Nothing is more frustrating than having one small thing creep under another and deprive it of any adhesive.
I have used a line of repo on a whole line of postage stamps for collage work and it works great. Use an 8.5”x11” sheet of paper to make sure you don’t make your gang too wide for the machine. If you are using a smaller version use whatever size paper you’re machine can handle.
Remove all Repo before you use your new stickers.

Double ‘em up!

Repo also helps when doubling up large and small. I have taped a couple of items together and then taped them to the back of a large sheet of paper. Run it through and you have adhesive on the smaller items and on the edges of the larger sheet of paper.
I don’t need adhesive on the entire large sheet as long as the edges are well covered I’m good.

How do you get those big sticky sheets down on my page?

1. Peel back one edge of the carrier paper (white paper the adhesive comes from), and fold back.
2. Line up opposite edge that the adhesive is still on where you want it (you can cut all the carrier paper off to make it easier if you want).
3. Once the entire thing is lined up. Press down the exposed adhesive. Carefully pull out the carrier paper as you rub your paper down. If you have doubled up you will want to pull the carrier paper a bit slower to be sure your other items don’t go with – it’s rare but it can happen.

I want to use a punch to make stickers from paper with adhesive already on it.

1. The easiest way to do this is use a tiny bit of repo and tape down a string on the back of the sheet.
2. Run the paper through the machine then punch out the shape
3. Find the string and pull carrier paper up at that spot. It’s easier to pull off when there is a small area of no adhesive at the edge.
4. Clean your punches with a bit of rubbing alchohol to get rid of any stickiness.

There are gobs of adhesive on the edge of EVERYTHING.
How do I get rid of that mess?

25 years ago, when I was in college {yikes 25 years}, I would have said use a rubber cement pickup (at my house it was affectionately known as "the snot") this wad of dried up rubber cement would pick up all its little sticky friends and grow a bit in the process. I still have "the snot" but there is so much charcoal and other color in it now that it could damage my work.
Now the answer is an adhesive remover. This eraser will easily pick up the mess. Like the snot it will grow with the adhesive it picks up, but these growths are easily trimmed off with a pair of craft & rubber scissors.

So this was my first tutorial, how did I do? Would love to know what you think and how I can improve. Thanks for reading.
Katie