Decoupage Technique

[TPK]

Hello Friends,

I was going to add these pictures to the plants & gardens thread but I decided it was too many pictures and could be a bit off topic so I thought I'd just start a new thread and as I create new things then I can just add them in here.

I wanted to share some pictures of a new hobby I stumbled across a few weeks ago. It could be more of a "girls Hobby" but I don't really care about that. It's an inexpensive & fun way to spend my time IMO.

I see it this way, a flower pot or a vase with nice flowers in it is great! But if you add a picture of something else you like or enjoy to it, it's even greater.

So before I ramble on any longer I'll just go ahead & get started.

Soon, it's time for lunch now.

[TPK]

So it all started off a few weeks back when I was creating a 3-D picture on my wooden shed out in front of my house. I decided to try adding some chickens from a napkin into the bottom of a sewing machine drawer. That turned out pretty nice (except for a few air bubbles) and inspired me to get some more napkins off ebay & try putting them on to some other things. Like flower pots and vases.

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[TPK]

This is an inexpensive Hobby. So here is what you need to get started. :

Napkins
Flower pots or vases
Window cleaner
Papier towels
Clear varnish (something to open it)
Scissors
Paint brushes
A glass of water to store the used paint brushes in keeps them useable for several projects. Otherwise the brushes get hard and you need a new brush each time.
And then there is a wooden contraption I threw together to lay my pots & vases on while working on them. Works great!

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[TPK]

I am by no .means an expert on the subject but here are a few things I can tell you guys about it::tu::

1) Just slap some clear varnish on a (for example) flower pot,
2) then put a napkin picture on top of the clear varnish,
3) then add a top coat of clear varnish making sure the napkin becomes totaly saturated with varnish
4) and you paint it from the center of the napkin going out towards the edges trying to get out all the air bubbles.
5) Let it dry. Done.

Tips:

1) The flower pots shouldn't have a beer belly form. Of course they are round but not round & with a beer belly form. I did one beer belly formed glass (first two pictures) with a small set of chickens on it & it turned out ok but you have to make several cuts into the edges of the napkin & overlap the edges while adding the varnish. Gets a little messy on the fingers & only works well with small pictures.

2) White glass, clear glass or colored/tinted glass gives the best results. Dark colored glass kind of takes away from the pictures added to it. I did a green flower pot with "I " on it and the letters I had cut out hardly showed up on the green pot so I had to improvise so I "scribble-traced" around the letters and pictures with a pen. Not my nicest work but it was saved by the pen. Now has a sort of "cartoon" look to it.

3) If the napkin layers get seperated from another don't panic. Just put the white part on first & then add the top layer or layers.

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[TPK]

Here are a few more pictures of some things I have done. Unfortunately I have already given away two flower pots & a vase to some of my wifes relatives without taking pictures of them.

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[TPK]

Last but not least, the one I did today.

I couldn't find any patriotic napkins over here. ( I should have had my Mom look for some around the 4th of July. ) So I decided to try my luck with a small flag. Looks like it's turning out well. I will let it dry for a couple of days to a week & then add a second coat of clear varnish to it. One small corner of the flag kept poping up so I leaned a pair of scissors on it untill it dried some.

I hope you have enjoyed this little "Tutorial" on Decoupage Technique. Maybe someone will feel inspired to try it themselves. If so, we'd love to see your pictures.

Thanks for your time & enjoy the rest of your day.

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[1967redrider]

Very cool, Tom! The chicken pictures turned out awesome. Do these weather outside well? I was thinking you could use Elmer's glue, but it would not weather well outside at all. I really like your new hobby.

[TPK]

Very cool, Tom! The chicken pictures turned out awesome. Do these weather outside well? I was thinking you could use Elmer's glue, but it would not weather well outside at all. I really like your new hobby.

Thanks for your comment John.

Buddy your guess is as good as mine. They should take the weather well but that's just my best guess. The ones I have done will be for my wifes indoor plants & for some of my & her plants that we will keep in the car port so our stuff should be safe from any direct rain. I do plan on putting something on my mail box but even it is a bit protected by a roof over head. It's a very inexpensive Hobby so just try it out. No great loss if they do not weather well. You could give them two coats of varnish to improve their weatherability.
If you run across any nice looking train napkins . . .,

[TPK]

Very cool, Tom! The chicken pictures turned out awesome. Do these weather outside well? I was thinking you could use Elmer's glue, but it would not weather well outside at all. I really like your new hobby.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, these scissors could be better.
Think I might have to look for some old school "Made in Solingen" scissors as I continue.

[1967redrider]

Thanks, Tom, and I will keep an eye out for train napkins.

[bighomer]

Well freind Tom I'm not looking for any hobbies but I can sure appreciate looking at yours. x1000

[Waukonda]

If you run across any nice looking train napkins . . .

Go to any store that sells party supplies, and you can most likely find some "Thomas the Train" napkins!

Nice work, KGFG, I like those chickens!

[Quick Steel]

Tom, Congratulations on your new hobby. It is great that it provides you with a creative outlet.

[eveled]

Very cool projects.

Here is something I made with my dad when I was little. The process was similar but I don’t remember the details. I remember burning the wood with a torch. I think the poem came from a Scout leader. It was just white copier paper.

[TPK]

Very cool projects.

Here is something I made with my dad when I was little. The process was similar but I don’t remember the details. I remember burning the wood with torch. I think the poem came from a Scout leader. image.jpg

Very nice! Looks great & the poem is beautiful! Thanks for sharing that with us.

[TPK]

Thank you all very much for your kind words & comments!
I appreciate it gentelmen!

[TPK]

Very cool projects.

Here is something I made with my dad when I was little. The process was similar but I don’t remember the details. I remember burning the wood with torch. I think the poem came from a Scout leader. image.jpg

That's a good idea for me as well. I've written a few poems I really enjoy. I might have to try that out one of these days.