Comments (24)

By Mom Unplugged, June 8, 2008 10:17 pm

When I chose sticky as the theme for this week’s Unplugged Project, I really had nothing in mind. I just thought a general, descriptive word would encourage a lot of very different, creative responses! We’ll see if I was right.

All week I thought and thought about what to do, and finally resorted to a little online inspiration. Here I found instructions for making a “Faux Leather Pencil Holder” using masking tape and shoe polish. That sounded very intriguing, but I didn’t think the kids would find brown “faux leather” terribly inspiring, and I wasn’t sure that working with stinky, messy shoe polish would have a happy outcome. So, since masking tape qualifies as sticky and it did sound fun and easy, we experimented and modified this idea a bit.

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For this project you’ll need something to decoupage. My daughter chose a can and I found a dented metal picture frame that I had been going to toss out. You’ll also need masking tape, white glue, and food coloring:

There were a few sharp points around the rim of the can, so I squashed those down with some pliers and then covered the rim with tape to make it safer.

My daughter and I tore off little bits of masking tape and stuck them haphazardly over the surface of our objects. I think the final effect is prettiest if you try to have the tape edges as ragged as possible and use lots of small pieces rather than fewer larger ones.

Here is how they looked when completely covered with tape:

Next we put some glue in cups and added a little water to thin it slightly. Be careful not to add too much water, as I did the first time around! We then added some food coloring to create different colors:

We brushed the colored glue onto our tape-covered objects. The first coat was quite pale and uninspiring:

We let that dry a bit, and then brushed on another coat. I did a total of three coats, my daughter did two, so hers turned out a bit paler. I think next time I might even do a fourth coat. The extra coats of color really do add depth.

The effect is quite pretty. The colored glue sticks more to the edges of the tape making the tape edges darker than the rest, for almost a crackle effect. I finished off by spraying our projects with some acrylic for a bit more shine and durability.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I would definitely try this again, as we all love decoupage. Working with the tape was easy and fun! I would like to experiment with paint mixed with glue, or even just thinly wiped-on paint (but I wanted the glue in there to create a bit of shine).

Different color effects would be interesting to try too. Using paint with glue, or paint alone would make for more subtle color possibilities. I think wiping some adjacent colors gently with a cloth, could make a nice blended transition between colors. A rainbow effect would be pretty.

Other fun things to try this with: Easter eggs, boxes, framed mirrors, notebooks, furniture … almost anything really!

This was an easy and satisfying project. Total time: maybe 1 hour.

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If you joined us for this week’s sticky Unplugged Project, then please put your link in Mr. Linky. Please leave a comment too, so that your project will still be findable if Mr. Linky fails.

If you didn’t join us this week, then consider joining in next week! Read how here.

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The theme for next Monday’s Unplugged Project will be:

Plastic

I hope to see you then!

Comments (12)

By Mom Unplugged, February 10, 2008 9:57 pm

Anything related to magazines usually sends me straight into collage-mode, but this week I decided to be adventurous and try some decoupage instead. OK, I know, decoupage is really just kind of like 3-D collage, but we had a lot of fun.

I dug out some very old decoupage glue that I had stashed away. I think I bought it before my oldest (now 7) was even born and one jar of it did look ominously congealed. This shows you all just how often I do crafts!

NOTE: Here is a recipe for homemade decoupage glue and glaze (Modge Podge) - Modge Podge is the classic decoupage glue and glaze that you can buy in craft stores. For simple fun-with-kids decoupage, I personally would simply dilute some white Elmer’s-type glue with a bit of water until the consistency is workable but not too runny.

I also found a few items to decoupage: an ugly picture frame, one of many plastic restaurant cups (the kind with the plastic lid and straw that seem to collect in every cupboard), a useful-looking can that I had been saving simply because I am a pack rat, and a partially squashed little cardboard box (another pack rat item).

For those who have never tried decoupage, here are the basics of how to do it:
Cut out images from magazines, old Christmas cards, anything (you can even use stickers). Glue them in place on the item to be covered - like a collage! When everything is glued on, brush the whole object with glue (make sure you use decoupage glue or watered down white glue). It will go on white and cloudy but will dry clear. Repeat with at least one or two more coats. This will create a hard clear glaze over the object that will smooth out the cracks between the glued on paper and make a shiny finish. Allow to dry. You can use any object really, you can even do this on furniture with beautiful results.

We had a pile of kids’ nature magazines that had been read and were sitting around, plus a few catalogs. This is what we did:

The supplies:

My 5 year-old son chose the cup, my 7 year-old daughter chose the can, and I took the box. My son had no plan. My daughter decided to do all animals. And I chose to do blues plus neutral textures and patterns to match my bathroom (to make a little catch-all kind of box).

Gluing:

Painting on the glue to seal:

The finished products:

By the way, my whole box was done using the Chiasso catalog. So there really is a use for all those unwanted catalogs, while waiting for them to disappear after “declining” them at Catalogchoice.org.

What did you do? Please put your link in Mr. Linky if you did something with magazines this week.

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Next week’s Unplugged Project:

Fabric

Don’t panic, it doesn’t have to involve sewing. How about making a collage of fabric scraps? Creating a dress-up costume out of old clothes or fabric remnants? Tear an old piece of clothing into strips and teach your child how to braid? Sort fabric scraps by color, or texture? Also, don’t forget that fabric glue exists if you want to sew something simple but can’t, or don’t have time.

What can you come up with to do next week with fabric?

NOTE: Mr. Linky appears to be down at the moment…so please just leave a comment and we’ll visit from that!