Gluing Gifts

With the onset of the Holidays approaching , I have started preparing. However there is always a last minute gift that needs to be made. We all know what I am talking about , that last minute gift you either forgot or may have even come into your life at the last minute. If your like me you don't like leaving anyone out , I mean it's the Holidays everyone should get something special. Without having to take out a loan. This economy isn't going to allow for that and I don't know about you but I certainly can't afford to break the bank as it were this holiday season. I have always admired the 1800's in regards to this. Most gifts were in fact handmade items that people sometimes would work on all year. So I do feel that making gifts and things for the holidays to be a Simpler means of living and a Simpler way to teach our children some much needed values in today's society.

All to many times we get caught up in the madness of shopping and in fact most people would rather have something you took the time to make as a gift. It's more personal and filled with the love and compassion you have for your fellow human. But in this economy it is and can be difficult to think of ways to express how you feel , right? Wrong , this simple craft idea is one that has been used for centuries and in times of financial difficulty it has been a life saver. Decoupage , we all remember doing it when we were little so why not? Almost anything can be decoupaged and turned into a beautiful treasure for men , women , teens and children. One of the reasons I love this so much is the fact it is so simple and children adore this crafting project. If they are old enough to use scissors and glue alone they can make their gifts in secret which really adds to the joy of creating and giving their gift.

So what do you need to decoupage? Do I need special glue , paper or more? No , all you need can usually be found right in your home on any given day. White glue , magazine's  , scissors , something to decoupage and imagination. Any other odds and ends you would like to add such as ribbon , fake flowers or glitter can all be added once your basic project is dry.

Gather your supplies. Paint or treat the wood before
beginning if you like. I prefer the raw wood look myself.

For this blog we are using a little wood box I purchased some time ago for about a dollar , most craft stores have these for around that amount so when I have a little extra money now and then I purchase a few for just such an occasion. But you could use a sturdy shoe box , a composition notebook ( can be turned into a journal or diary ) , almost anything that the glue can adhere to well can be decoupaged. 

Use a small dish for glue the glue is easily washed out.

I prefer magazine's for the pictures I use in my decoupage since the paper is perfect for this. It isn't to thick or thin and the color's are nice and bright. There's always a magazine laying around my house but if you don't have one don't worry you don't need to go out and buy a new one. You can find them at your library for little coinage and at times for free. Your going to be cutting them up anyway so why spend 4.00 or more for a magazine? And most of us know someone who has them just ask if you may have a few , I have found people have no issue with this since it helps to reduce their clutter.

Sponge Brushes Work well but are not needed.
 Lightly spread glue onto back of your first Picture.

White Glue is usually something we all have in our home for one reason or another. I do have to tell you Elmer's is best. The other brands are watered down and simply don't work as well. If need be you can always add a tiny amount of water to the Elmer's but I have never needed to do this. Once the glue dries it will be clear so do not freak out , as long as you are keeping the layers of glue thin and allowing it to dry completely it will be fine. 

Apply to your Item to be decoupaged , smooth.

Depending on how you wish for this to be used will depend on placement
of the pictures. This one is for a Jewelry Box , if we change the position
and Place the lady's head towards the handle can be used as
a child's purse.

Now to get cutting , keep in mind the person you are making this for. What do they like? What kind of interest's do they have? Once you have this figured out you can start searching and cutting your pictures , this will be the most time consuming of the entire project. You can cover as much or as little as you like. Much of the old fashioned decoupage would cover the item entirely , overlapping the pictures to create something unique and stylish. 

Continue adding any pics you like in the same manner.

You can use the side of your glue bottle to smooth out any air bubbles.
Gently work the bottle back and forth over the pic to be smoothed.

Seal with a top coat of glue.
This can be done as many times as you like
As long as you let each layer dry before applying
another. 

Milky finish on wet. Once Dry it will be clear.

Once dry add you own special touch. Beads , ribbons  and anything you like.
These can be added with a glue gun or super glue.

Be sure to check back soon for some Halloween Ideas. Crafts , Food and Games.