A Hodge-Podge of Decoupage

Before I move on to new projects, I wanted to share my workspace and a few recent creations.  These weren’t made for my shop, just some home projects.  But I was pleased with the results and thought other crafters might enjoy the ideas.

I had some organizers I liked to keep on my table, but they were cheap, plasticky and rather bright and ugly.  I thought about stowing them away in a cabinet, but it is so handy to have them right there at an arm’s length when I’m working.  So I decided they needed a make-over. 

I didn’t think to take a “before” photo, but the drawers started out basically looking like this hot pink thang.

Before

 

I removed the drawers and spray-painted them black.  Then after they dried, I decorated them with some Thai designs using a gold paint pen.  

After

 

The spiral and squiggly line symbol is called an “unalome” and represents the attainment of enlightenment.  The zig-zag shape evolving into a straight line mirrors one’s path coming into focus, when one has ceased to be diverted and is now on a direct path to Nirvana.  The other symbol that looks sort of like a 3 is Tibetan writing for “Om” or “Aum,” the sound often chanted during yogic meditation.

Unalome and Om

Other Thai motifs

 The top of the drawers had a bright pink flip-down lid.  Rather than trying to spray paint this, I decided to cover it with decorative paper.  I used some beautiful Thai wrapping paper that depicts traditional Thai life.  I adhered it with Mod Podge and then applied a topcoat to protect it. 

I used the same paper and technique on a pencil organizer, then trimmed it with ribbon and decorated the top with the gold paint pen.  (Yes, I know it is really a toothbrush/toothpaste bathroom organizer, but it works great for pens and scissors.)

The Final Set

My Work Table

 I even used this decoupage technique on our reading lamps.  Again, they were rather bright and gaudy but had been the only colors available when we got them.  So I picked out some paper and went to work on them.  For Dane’s, I found an image of an old map online and printed it.  For mine, I used an old postcard and clippings from Victoria Magazine.  And Voilà!  

What can’t Mod Podge do?