I use mostly cornflour glue for my paper projects - because it is amazing, cheap, absolutely non toxic (since the ingredients are edible!), and environmentally friendly.
The only time I use PVA or other glue is for gluing things other than paper (for example, gluing fabric on to cardboard). For example, all of the recycled paper flowers and garlands were made with cornflour glue. Because paper can absorb glue so well, it really doesn't need more than cornflour.
Especially when it's super sticky best cornflour glue!
Here's what you need: Cornflour and water, plus things you already have in your kitchen (bowl, spoon, kettle, microwave/stovetop & pot).
First, you mix a heaped tablespoon of cornflour with a little water - maybe 2 or three tablespoons.
plus water =
Then you boil your kettle (with the minimum amount of water, because you won't need much, and that saves energy!)
Add a medium trickle of boiling water to the cornflour, maybe about 3-4 tablespoons, and stir. This is so the mixture doesn't heat up too fast and get lumpy.
Next, add enough boiled water that the mixture starts to thicken. It will go an almost translucent white, and be the consistency of custard. Stir thoroughly.
Sometimes this is gluey enough for use - I sometimes leave it at this stage for adding to paper pulp, where the paper fibres add some adhesiveness themselves. If you want it stickier, for example, if you are making paper flowers, so are going to be gluing together petals at a center point, just zap it in the microwave (or heat on stovetop in pot).
Usually 30 seconds in the microwave or a couple of minutes on the stovetop on high is enough to have it fully heated - it will be completely translucent, almost transparent, and have bubbles rising. Stir thoroughly!
And then you have finished glue! Allow to cool, then dive in to the craft/art project of your choice! If you have leftovers it will last in the fridge for a couple of days, you can zap it again to get it to warm up and get stickier again - but it won't feel as lovely as it does freshly made. I like to make it in small batches, so I get to use the fresh stuff often.
*** To clean up the bowl, soak in cold water, then wash all of the bits of glue off by hand. Don't put into the dishwasher, as the heat will just bake the glue on - with soaking it will all just fall off!
****Update - if you ever have problems with little critters eating your paper things, or things growing mold (usually only a problem if it's been raining for days) mix a drop of clove oil in the finished glue - it shall kill those spores and deter those appetites!
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