Monday, February 6, 2012

To Keep or Not to Keep...


I have a few items in my art room I was hoping for some insight on...

First... is that Tri-Tex Rubber Cream Glue. You can see it's taped shut. I've never used the stuff but I haven't thrown almost anything out since I started at this school. Does anyone use this? Is this worth keeping? I figure, if I haven't used it in 4 years, when will I? I'm just nervous that for some random project one day I'll regret throwing anything out and think, "Now where was that rubber cream glue? Argh."

I'm having the same considerations for that Elmer's Sno-Drift Paste. I have those smaller containers... and then I have large tubs sitting on top of one of my cupboards:

What is this stuff?

Next on my list is the Tacky Glue. I see a lot of teachers use it, but mine don't even squeeze out of the bottle? I know it sounds silly to ask, but again, I just can't part with items till I get a little more reassurance. Is it time to kick it to the curb?

Last but not least... I'm attempting to shift to low fire glazes. From some recent art networking conferences, teachers are raving about them and how they'll never go back to high fire. I have plenty of jars in the high fire but I don't know what to do when I'm done with all my .... Firecracker Red's... and eventually just have a bunch of Warm Gray's. How do I phase these out without just throwing out glaze?

I know as art teachers we all have a little hoarding mentality.. but- help!

9 comments:

  1. The tacky glue in the brown bottles - a must keep I love that stuff!

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  2. I agree - keep the Tacky! It will glue all sorts of otherwise hard-to-hold stuff. But don't try to use the caps to squeeze out glue - they never work. I give the kids long-handled cotton swabs and we just take the caps right off and dip in the swab.

    As for the Snow-Drift - I still have it too. I used to use it, and then I discovered glue-sticks. I feel like there must be a good purpose for it but I'm not sure what it is. I think maybe it could be used for some texturing perhaps?

    I used to have some of the rubber cream glue. It's kind of like rubber cement, but non-toxic I believe. So you can use it as a contact glue to mount artwork etc. I'd open it up and give it a try if I were you!

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  3. Oh keep the tacky glue; that stuff will glue beads and bangles to paper etc. I totally agree with Phyl's usage tip. I have my kiddos use stiff paper strips in order to recycle (but it is the same premise).

    I'm not a hoarder. I'm the only art teacher I know who will blithely recycle/give-away/throw out "arty" stuff. If I don't use it, I will get rid of it. That isn't to say I don't re-purpose materials and/or reuse materials. . .But, I've worked in so many art rooms wherein I've inherited obvious decades old crap (forgive me, but it was). And, I don't want all that stuff just sitting around in my room!

    I don't know much about snow-drift or rubber cream glue. . .But, I will say this- I go through glue like a madwoman. I seem to NEVER have enough glue! Any sticky stuff I have I hoard like a crazy lady. You never know when you'll be out of glue and end up scooping out the snow drift into cups etc! As long as it isn't dried out, I say keep it.

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  4. Keep the cream rubber cement! It works really well, and the kids love it. We call it "booger glue," and they giggle and giggle while they work. It holds well for 3D paper sculptures and stuff like that.

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  5. Keep the tri-tex glue for an art show, it dries really quickly and holds some heavy stuff. (If you're hanging on a big piece of craft paper, rather than using tape doughnuts, just put some tri-tex on the back of each piece of artwork!)

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  6. Love your fantastic lesson ideas! The tacky glue is easier to use if you take the top off and pour some of it into a small container and have the students use popsickle sticks to dip in and spread onto the project. You can reuse the cups too, just let the glue dry and use again. Don't forget to take the sticks out first. Hope this was helpful.

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  7. There was a ton of the sno-drift paste in the first art room I worked in. The kids told me they had used it for paper mache so I tried it out. I had to thin it with water and it left a crusty layer that I would sand off when it dried. I think it would be good for collages. You could scoop it into cups and have the kids use paint brushes to apply it. You always remember the kid that ate paste and this is the type of paste that entices students to say, "Can I taste it?"

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  8. You want to sell some of that Sno-Drift paste? A friend and I have been looking for some and can't seem to find it.

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  9. I loved tri tex best glue ever for the kids no mess no fuss just peel it off if it goes where it should not. Not sticky either. Don't throw anything away consider yourself lucky to have followed an art teacher who know what works.

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