My Date with Decoupage

Decoupage Letters
Originally uploaded by goingdomestic.

I've been majorly procrastinating about picking out my learn-to-knit supplies and cracking open my copy of Stitch 'n Bitch, but I did manage to tackle one crafty project thus far this summer: alphabet letters that spell out "MADELINE". These things are ridiculously popular, and also ridiculously expensive to buy, it seems. I saw a post on Two Peas with photos of decoupaged letters, and thought that it was a nice DIY project to try out. I hadn't decoupaged anything before, and Madeline's room here in St. John's certainly could use some decorating!

Anyway, I bought eight wooden letters from Michaels, along with a container of Modge Podge, a few foam brushes (10 for $1!), and then trolled the scrapbook section to find coordinating patterned paper. Then and there I decided that Why I Don't Like Michaels Reason #42 is because none of their open stock patterned paper coordinated with each other. There is no other place to buy patterned paper in St. John's, so I bought an entire Slab. For those who aren't familiar with the Slab, it's 180 sheets of paper. It weights a tonne. I now have enough coordinating patterned paper to make decoupage letters for at least fifty other children!

My technique was pretty easy:

1. Apply a coat of Modge Podge to a wooden letter
2. Cover with tiny torn pieces of patterned paper (I tended to stick to one colour per letter)
3. Apply three coats of Modge Podge on top of the patterned paper, drying between coats
4. Trim excess paper (I started out using my fine-tipped scissors, but ended up going back to Michaels to buy an x-acto knife. It produced a much smoother cut line).

If I did it over again, I would trim the excess paper before I put on the top coats of Modge Podge. I think the edges would trim a lot nicer. I also might paint the edges of the letters in a coordinating colour before even starting the decoupage process. I'm still really happy with how the letters turned out, and it's nice to have something special in Madeline's temporary bedroom!

Comments

[amycah]

Oooooh! I love these! I have letters that spell out Catherine that are hanging around waiting for me to do something to them...maybe this is it. I was just going to paint them yellow to match the trim in her room but this sounds like fun!

[Sarah]

I love them! Now you can decoupage the car or something with the rest. LOL

[Ani]

How lovely!!

[jdp]

OMG, your blog is so interesting. I have never read anyone's blog before. But I was searching for children's items (for my 4 year old) in this area (I live in Paradise, grew up in TO and find it difficult here to be entertained). Anyway, I was going to mention that there is patterned paper and many other great items at the Paperie on O'Leary Ave, up behind the Avalon Mall. Terrible place for scrapbookers - I always spend waaaaayyy tooo much there ;o)
Keep up the great work!!!

[Jaime]

I LOVE how the letters turned out! I might just have to try your technique and ideas for their Christmas gifts this year. Very neat to have on their walls and I loved your patterns too.