I wanted to a share a few words of encouragement about Decoupage/Mod Podge for anyone who might be thinking of giving this crafty idea a try. Mom, Sis and I have been using this technique for years. I know Mod Podge has been around since 1967, but we always just used white Elmer's Glue mixed with water (50% glue to 50% water for homemade mod podge).
I recall once we redecorated my Grandma's bedroom when she was in the hospital. Mom found sheets that she knew Grandma would like (beige with a tiny bit of light green trim). Of course, Mom bought enough extra flat sheets to utilize her sewing skills for all kinds of additional accent pieces. Curtains, throw pillows, dresser scarf, etc...
We also used one full size flat sheet to make an accent wall in Grandma's freshly painted bedroom. That's right, we put our glue/water mixture in a wallpaper paste tray and in went the sheet. We soaked it good for 5 minutes or so and then used wall paper brushes to smooth it out ( it was messy, but we were prepared with drop cloths). We started at the top of the wall, with the top of the sheet, and let the top hem/boarder on the sheet be the boarder on our wall. We just smoothed it all down from there with a finished edge in the corner and a piece of corner trim where we had to cut about 6" off one end.
It turned out very nice, it really tied the room together, and of course Grandma loved it!. Sorry, no photos...that was back in the 70's, before the digital age. Since then I have used mom's glue/water mixture with both fabric and paper, for a variety of projects, with much success. I have used it to cover light switch plate covers to coordinate with a specific theme. Decoupage is also a great way to up-cycle and or decorate sturdy old furniture. We even made gift boxes one year utilizing old Christmas cards and decoupage. I decoupaged a small lamp shade with scrapbook paper and finished it off with
ribbon around the top and dangle bead trim around the bottom. Turned out
great!
 |
| http://rubberstamping.about.com/od/projects/ss/DecoupageBox_5.htm |
I am going to experiment with the Mod Podge brand, particularly one they have that gives a hi-gloss, glass-like finish. It's a bit pricy, but could be worth the investment on certain projects. But for my usual projects, like boxes, bowls, switch plate covers, lamp shades, etc... I'll stick with the Elmer's, it's much more economical. When working with cardboard's be careful not to use too much glue mixture,otherwise your cardboard could become saturated and warp, a little really goes a long way and you can always add more layers. Chose a warm sunny day for your decoupage project. Drying time between
coats of glue and layers of paper varies so plan accordingly for a
successful crafting session.
Large cereal boxes, cut crosswise at a slant make wonderful magazine holders for a decoupage project. Use old book pages, unused music pages, colorful magazine pages in
layers to make your boxes stiff and durable. Decoupage can be used to brighten up a jewelry box, cigar
box, photo frame, flower pot, storage bin, lamp shade, bar stool, table, or any just about any other object you have around that needs a new, fresh look. Before applying any decoupage medium, make sure to clean and dry the object you wish to decorate. Being patient can really make the difference in how a project turns out...I like to wait overnight, giving the glue plenty of time to dry. Sometimes you have to add more glue/water paste to even things out (and let dry, again). I always finish with a couple of coats of a spray sealer to make my project more durable and easy to clean. If your just starting out, begin with something small. Why not turn an empty tissue box into handy storage for
plastic grocery bags and with a little decoupage it will be durable and unique. The best part...it's a water based process, so it's easy clean-up. If your first try doesn't turn out...no big loss...it's just a box and some glue...and you will have gained valuable experience. The next one will be better. Give it a try...it's really very easy!!
 |
| http://paper-it-fun.com/2007/05/20/decoupage-ideas-using-paper-illusions/ |
 |
http://tissuepapercrafts.net/tissue-paper-decoupage-a-fun-tissue-paper-craft/
|
http://www.creativejewishmom.com |
|
|
