Decoupage Day

Earlier in the week I scooted off to my local Hobbycraft on a mission to get supplies for a crafting mission to keep the kids occupied over the remainder of the holidays.

I started off with the button canvas pictures and am still quite chuffed with my efforts. The decoupage I put off as (in my mind) it was potentially going to be a messy job. Well, that is what I thought, how wrong was I? Hardly any mess at all and not nearly so time consuming as I'd thought it could be. All I needed was a plastic plate to pop my torn up pieces of decoupage paper on, a little dish for my PVA glue, one nice flat paint brush and some protection for the table. Easy peasy!

Now, the plan is the crafts I've done this week are dry runs for what I want to do with the kids next week. I'll update you on those as they happen, but I'm guessing the mess free crafting I've managed to complete is not going to be the case when they have a go. Whereas, I have covered my working area with a few carefully placed sheets of kitchen roll, I feel the need to invest in a lot of newspaper and perhaps a wipe clean table cloth before I even consider letting them loose with the glue.

Anyway, back at the decoupaging. The most boring part of the process was tearing the paper into bits, not a bad start then. After that it was fun, fun, fun. I don't think I've painted glue on anything since I left school and I'd forgotten how much fun it was! I thought it was going to be quite a tricky process as, for those of you whom, like myself haven't decoupaged before, you have to first paint a little glue on your item, then with gluey brush, pick up a piece of paper, place said paper on the item you're decorating and (keeping it flat) paint over the top of it with a little more glue. I'll be honest, when I was reading the instructions on how to do this, I was extremely apprehensive. I am not known for my dexterity and am ridiculously clumsy. As my mum always says, if there is an awkward way of doing something, I will find it! However, I needn't have worried at all. It was relatively easy, a lot of fun and very therapeutic (especially whilst listening to some retro '80's album).

So an album and a half later (thank you Belinda Carlisle for singing to me and allowing me to sing along), and I'd covered two mache plant pots.

Now the really, really dull part started...waiting for the glue to dry. Now, I have it on good authority from the Hobbycraft lady that if you buy the decoupage glue it dries quicker than the PVA glue. However, for a first effort, the PVA glue was cheaper and can be used for other crafts as well. So I waited and I waited and I waited. Then decided that I may as well leave them overnight.

Now, the plan I had was to decoupage the inside of the pots today, but the girls are due back today and I wanted  the pots to be ready so I have left the insides naked! So, to off set the brown inner of the pot, I used the glue gun to stick a length of jute ribbon around the top of the pots and covered the join with some coordinating buttons. I must admit, I surprised myself with my creative solution to the inner pot problem.

So here are the finished articles...

I think they have worked out well (for a first attempt) and they'll be ideal for the girls to store away their pens and pencils, or for Libby, her make-up brushes.

So here's to more crafting next week with my girls. Once again, watch this space for updates!