How to make craft glues and chalk

You don't need to buy all your craft supplies from the store. You'd be surprised to learn how much can be made right from the comfort of your own home. Just follow these instructions.

Use this traditional homemade recipe to make durable glue for repairing broken pieces of crockery or china.

What you need:

• 375 ml (1 1/2 tsp) glycerin
• 22ml (4 1/2 tsp) gum arabic
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) water
• Rubber bands (optional)
• Duct tape (optional)

What to do:

1. In a small bowl, mix glycerin, gum arabic and water thoroughly and store in a small, sealed bottle.

2. Coat both sides of the surfaces to be glued with the mixture and clamp them together with strong rubber bands or duct tape until glue dries (about one hour). Wash mended objects carefully by hand; do not place mended pieces in a dishwasher or stove.

This inexpensive homemade glue is more transparent than flour paste and is good for gluing pieces of paper together where looks count, such as scrapbooking or making greeting cards.

      What you need:

• 250 ml (1 c) cornstarch
• 750 ml (3 c) water
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) light corn syrup
• 10 ml (2 tsp) white vinegar

  What to do:

  1. Mix and simmer 125 millilitres (1/2 cup cornstarch), 375 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) water and other ingredients over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat.

  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) cornstarch and 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) water. Blend into heated mixture. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two months.

Whether you need an ongoing supply of chalk for the family blackboard or simply want to supply budding artists with an endless supply of sidewalk chalk, here is an easy and inexpensive way to make your own.

      What you need:

• Cardboard toilet-tissue tubes or plastic taper candle molds (available at craft stores)
• Masking tape
• Wax paper
• 375 ml (1 1/2 c) plaster of Paris
• 175 ml (3/4 c) water
• Disposable milk or ice-cream carton
• Paint stir stick
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) powdered tempera paint colour, or mix 20 ml (4 tsp) coloured paint and 20 ml (4 tsp) white paint for pastel colours

  What to do:

  1. Cover one end of each mold (toilet-tissue tubes for fat sidewalk chalk and taper candle molds for chalkboard-size chalk) with masking tape to prevent leaks. Line the molds with wax paper so that the finished chalk will release easily.

  2. In a disposable container, stir the plaster of Paris and water together slowly with a paint stirring stick. Divide the solution into two or three containers if you are making more than one colour of chalk. Add paint powder to each container and stir to colour evenly.

  3. Set wax-paper-lined molds upright on a flat surface, fill with chalk mix and tap the sides of the mold to release air bubbles. Allow chalk to air-dry for three days before unmolding. The chalk should slide out of the cardboard tubes and candle mold.

  4. Make up a new batch as needed until all desired colours are made.