Fun with Mod Podge!

Hi kids!

Today I'm going to tell you about my fun little holiday foray into decoupage. I've never done it before and I was excited to try my hand at it. First, you need fun colored / printed paper and something to stick it on to. Then you need some Mod Podge, a foam brush, and a craft area with a table cloth, since the stuff is sticky. Thankfully, it can be cleaned away with soap and water if it's still wet. Mod Podge:

You can get Mod Podge from any craft store. Combination glue and sealant, it's a must-have for anyone who wants to make anything AWESOME. :) Here is a clipboard that I made for my mother-in-law, who is a high school spanish teacher. I've removed the clip part of the clipboard to make the decoupage easier. First, you brush podge onto the back of the paper, then you place the paper carefully onto the surface you want to decorate. Try to get all the air bubbles out. I used an old plastic card (like the kind used for gift cards at stores) to pull the air pockets to the sides and out.

Here is the front of the clipboard that I made for my MIL, before I coated it.

And... after the shiny podge coat:

I used alphabet stickers (designed for scrapbooks) to put her name on the board:Here is the back of the clipboard, before I made it shiny:

And... after the shiny podge coat. I used glitter mod podge for the back, as opposed to standard podge, which was used for the front. Click on the pic to enlarge and see the glitter:

Here is the other clipboard I made for my grandmother. It felt sort of Art-Deco and vintage. You can barely tell in this pic, but the bottom pattern has copper leaf in it, so it shines like crazy in the light.

This is the back of the "vintage" clipboard. It also has some copper in the pattern, but I hadn't yet put the gloss on when I took this picture.

I think that decoupage is my favorite new craft activity, and I'm really excited to try it out on some other surfaces. Check out this blog, Mod Podge Rocks, to see other awesome decoupage projects from some of the most creative people out there. I covet their talent and free time. :)

Hugs and kittens,

Stina