DeCoUpAgE! & my project!

Have some spare time?? My past summer was spent living and working in Delaware with very few UDel students around.. sooo here's what I did to keep busy...

I found an old dresser and some magazines, bought some paint, picked up tons of ModPodge and got creative! I used decoupage to make a new piece of accent furniture in my apartment! (pictured)

Mod Podge is the original all-in-one sealer, glue and finish. It's perfect for wood, paper, fabric, and other porous surfaces.

I did this using a very unique technique! Here you can find some fun projects to DECOUPAGE! This technique dates back to the 12th century and is no more than decorating surfaces by adhering paper cutouts and then sealing with a varnish!

defn. of decoupage: the art of applying paper onto any decorative surface (even furniture!)

Depending on what you make, the finished decoupage product can be so stunning that it appears to be professionally painted! Some think that decoupage is complicated, but it's not at all. If you can cut and paste, you already know most of the techniques involved...you can even use supplies that you probably have laying around the house!

The DoItYourself Network is a great resource for project inspiration and arts and crafts.
This page is dedicated to decoupage!

Step-by-Step directions:

1. Prepare the surface of the item you plan to decoupage on. Make sure it is clean and begin to paint or seal it.
2. Cut out your pictures.
3. Arrange the pictures before you add the glue so you know where you want everything. The pictures can be in any design and can also overlap.
4. Completely coat the back of the picture with your glue or decoupage medium. You should also put a thin layer of glue in the area where you are sticking the picture.
5. Stick the picture on the glue. Use your finger to gently push down the picture (for a large picture, start from the center and work your way out) and push out any wrinkles and excess glue. You can also use a popsicle stick or brayer.
6. Continue with the last 2 steps until all your pictures are glued on. Let the glue dry.
7. Coat your item completely with diluted white glue (approximately 3 parts glue to 1 part water) or decoupage medium. Let this dry completely.
8. Now, you can continue to add coats of the glue or decoupage medium or use another sealer (polyurethane, acrylic spray, etc.) until you get the desired results. You will, however, want to keep adding coats until the edges of the pictures are smooth.

HGTV offers some decoupage basics to help you get started!
and here's some history and instruction!