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Hello, readers of my best friend's blog! My name is Casey and I have had the pleasure of knowing Calli for 8-ish years. We have come a long way since that fateful day when, on my first day as "the new kid" at school, Calli volunteered for me the seat right in front of hers (which happened to also be directly beside the rankest child I had ever smelled). It was friendship at first sight and the rest is history.
Okay, now that we're acquainted, I am here to tutorial-ize you guys. Today I'm going to show you how to (what I so creatively named) Decoupage and Collage. I have been in the collaging business for years. I love it. You can take scraps of almost any magazine, photo, book, etc., attach it to a canvas, and have something that looks effortlessly fantastic.
The fancy-sounding decoupaging part of this whole thing is just taking it a step further. As a Christmas present to Calli a while back, I decided to decoupage a vase I had lying around that I had thrifted for no more than a $1.
Supplies you'll need:
- Glass vase or container (you can use anything made from a non-porous material)
- Modge podge/Mod podge* (see below for the trick I use)
- Medium-sized paintbrush
- Clear spray-on sealer (optional)
Okay, a little backstory- I am a major procrastinator. I do everything at the last minute. It's in my blood. So, naturally, Christmas presents are no different. That's how I found myself awake after midnight on Christmas Eve cutting up my mom's old Oprah magazines. In fact, I am writing this very post at the last minute. (Sorry, Cal.) Anywayyy, the point is that this is a project that is easy, fairly quick, and can be completed with many things you probably already have lying around the house.
The first thing you want to do is choose your magazines (or newspapers or books or photos) and start flipping. I chose many pages with rich, solid colors to use for the majority of the area of the vase. Since there will already be so many colors going on, choosing a lot of patterns can often overwhelm the piece and cross that thin line into what I call "tacky territory". But obviously be liberal in choosing what you think will look best, as this is a project that will end up being very unique to you and your own tastes.
When it comes to choosing a few splashes of pattern, I chose some organic-looking patterns such as flowers and flowy brown hair. I think this breaks up the solid color a little and adds some interest to it, without overdoing it. I also chose to cut out a strip with a woman's face (Keri Russel's, actually, I believe) on it. I thought this was a whimsical touch that just throws something a bit unusual and unexpected into the mix.
Next I cut each of my chosen pages into strips, maybe 1 inch wide by 3-6 inches long. This is another part in which you can be quite versatile. I chose to do strips because I liked the look and could cover more area without it getting too tedious. But I think different shapes would look awesome as well. You could very easily cut them into squares to make a cool pixelated look, or maybe wavy lines that overlap and create movement. Go crazy with imagination!
Next you're going to want to use your paint brush to saturate a strip and the area where the strip will be placed on your container. You might want to wear gloves if you're not fond of getting messy, because you'll usually get mod podge all over your hands during this phase. Make sure the strip is fully saturated (I laid down newspaper and just brushed on the mod podge). It can sometimes be difficult if the strip is from a magazine rather than a book or newspaper because magazine paper is glossy and it takes a second for the moisture to permeate the paper. But once it is fully wet, simply lay it on the vase (I had it at an angle most of the time) and smooth it out with your finger, being very careful not to rip it.
Once you've got that down, the rest is easy as pie. Keep doing that until the entire piece is covered. You can alternate directions of the strips, overlap them, and (as I did) overlap a few over the lip and down inside the vase if you'd like. Give it a once-over when you're finished and make certain the entire container is covered and that all the strips are covered with the mod podge. I know I sound like a broken record, but if the pieces aren't saturated, they will disintegrate not long after you've finished and you'll be left with "holes" in your container.
Lastly, let it dry. It will probably take at least 12 hours (or overnight) to be complete. If you want to be extra cautious, you can purchase a clear sealant to go over it with after it has finished drying the first time around. I ALWAYS use it if I ever decoupage something porous (like wood) or something that will have a lot of wear and tear, like a table top.
Most sincerely,
-Casey
*You can buy Mod Podge at any craft or department store, but it can be quite expensive if you do projects like this often, or even if you're just trying to cover a large area. Instead, do what I do and go buy the largest Elmer's glue you can find (this still shouldn't cost you more than a couple dollars). Next simply mix equal parts glue and water, give it a good shake, and voila. You have homemade Mod Podge that's just as good as the expensive stuff. Store it in an airtight jar or other container.
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