THE ALTERED FLEA: decoupage

Showing posts with label decoupage. Show all posts

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Game Night with Old Friends

I'm participating in the DecoArt Mystery Box Challenge.

Please visit the site and vote for your favorite!

Hint: My project is #9

My MahJongg group had just left when I received a mystery box in the mail from DecoArt. I quickly opened it, revealing its contents: a paper mache box in the shape of a house, luscious fluid acrylics in four vibrant hues, DecouPage and Liquid Glass. It was the perfect starting point for my project, “Game Night with Old Friends.”

Game Night was, and still is, popular among friends and families. Vintage games are resurfacing including MahJongg, Scrabble and Rummy-Q. So I used iconic game pieces to turn my paper mache house into a FUN-KY candy holder, perfect for our next Girls Night Out.

Products Used:

Paper Mache House Box (by Darice)

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Quinacidone Magenta, Hansa Yellow, Cerulean Blue, Titanium White & Carbon Black

DecoArt DecouPage

DecoArt Media Liquid Glass

Supplies:

Rubber Stamps (from River City Rubberworks)

Staz-On Black Ink Pad

Paint chips

1” foam brushes

Paper Cutter

2-sided adhesive tape & glue dots

Embellishments: Iconic game pieces

The How To

Paint sides and roof of paper mache house with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics. I painted each side a different color.

Stamp images on paint chips using Staz-On ink. Cut paint chips to fit box sides and adhere stamped images to house using DecouPage by brushing medium on back of paint chip and paper mache house.

Add embellishments using DecouPage (it's also a glue!), adhesive tape or glue dots.

Paint Scrabble trays with Media Fluid Acrylic. Spell out “Old Friends” using scrabble tiles,

and place on trays.

This MahJongg rule book from 1958 was a great flea market find.

Place finished house onto BINGO card and display on game board. Fill box with old-time

candy and share at your next Game Night.

How many games can you find in this project? Do you spot your favorite game?

Disclosure: I was provided product from DecoArt but all opinions and ideas are my own.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Repurposing City Maps & Picture Frames

Our older daughter lives in "The City by the Bay," which also happens to be my old hometown. She absolutely loves everything about San Francisco. On our last visit, I noticed she didn't have any coasters, and since she is "borrowing" her grandparents' antique furniture...let's just say, the coffee table will soon need a new coat of varnish. Until then, I decided to combine fun with functional, and use an old SF map to create coasters and a coordinating serving tray for her.

Here is the tray I started with, found at a thrift store for $3.

Someone had previously added handles onto a picture frame, so it saved me a step.

I painted the frame with an antique white paint using a light brush stroke here and there to give the tray a distressed, vintage look. After all, paper maps are vintage, right?

After deciding on the section of the map for the tray, I cut it to size to fit inside the frame and decoupaged it into place. Then I painted the handles sage green to match the green parks on the map. I sealed the entire tray with antique-colored decoupage to emphasize a vintage look.

Then I cut four 4" squares from another section of the map and decoupaged them onto stone tiles.

Not leaving well enough alone, I decoupaged a small box to neatly hold the four tile coasters when not being used.

For the photo op, I leaned the tray against my kitchen wall, coincidently right under a schematic of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Now I'm going to pop the tray and coaster set into the mail -- marked fragile, handle with care -- and surprise my daughter with a little handmade DIY.

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Sunday, May 4, 2014

Handmade Mother's Day Project

With everyone's busy lives, I'm glad the calendar tells us to take one day to celebrate Mom. However, my Mom says "everyday is Mother's Day," and I tend to agree with her. Hopefully, your kids tell you how much they love you more than just one day a year!

However, next Sunday, go ahead and lavish your Mother with more than a hug and kiss--give her several! And if you still feel like you want to give her a gift, make a handmade one that she will treasure always.

Here is an art canvas I made for my Mom several years ago. It's still one of my most favorite projects ever. Even though I've posted this before, I'd like to share it again in case you missed it the first time.

8" x 8" and 8" x 4" canvasses tied together with ribbon;

each canvas painted and then decoupaged with designer papers;

Photos added.

Yes, that's really me, just minutes after I was born.

Note the year: 1956

(Ohhhhh! Am I THAT old?)

Scrabble tiles spell out "DAUGHTERS"

Chipboard used to spell "LOVE"

Additional embellishments: chipboard scroll, button and

silver heart charm tied to "E"

Then added ribbon, brads and flower

Finally, current year of bottom photo: 2010

I had so much fun creating this wall hanging canvas for my Mom. It still hangs in her kitchen so she sees ii everyday.

Every few years, I update the bottom photo of my daughters and me and change the date. So this year, when my daughters are home, we'll snap a few new photos, and decoupage it to the canvas when we visit my Mom.

Sharing at these parties. and

Moonlight & Mason Jars

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Alter a Vintage Dustpan into a Magazine Holder

Unless you just landed on this planet, you know that flea markets are all the rage. There seems to be one within a 25-mile drive every weekend. One of my favorite flea markets is a local one I frequent called the Topanga Vintage Market. It is there that I spotted this gem: a vintage

wood -- dustpan? I think I bought it for $3.

After a light sanding, it was ready for paint. I chose a calming color called "Clear Pond," a light aqua, almost seafoam hue.

Whilst the paint dried, I waded my way through my paper stash, looking for a retro, hip design that would complement the subtle "Clear Pond." I found this fun print:

I decoupaged the paper to the inside back of the dustpan, and embellished the front with vintage-style Washi tape. The tape was from a clearance sale; when it kept breaking on me, I realized why it was a bargain. So I had to piece it.

At that same vintage market, but a few months earlier, I spotted bags of vintage buttons. Not knowing what I would do with them (no surprise), I quickly bought a lovely set of turquoise pearl gems--perfect for this project.

Topped off with a metal label holder and a light distressing, this dustpan was transformed into a lovely...

Magazine Holder

And since I always add "just one more embellishment," I couldn't resist hanging an old skate key and a mini watering can to the hooks. Yes, I know that's technically two embellishments, but who's counting? [Not me.]

You may also enjoy these transformations:

Vintage Mailbox

Snail Mail Cafe Organizer

Gingerly Made

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Irish Coffees at the BV

Nothing beats a cold, foggy day in San Francisco than a warm Irish Coffee at The Buena Vista. Except maybe two Irish Coffees! Just a week ago, we sauntered into our favorite local establishment and imbibed in a couple of these delicious liquid refreshments. The fact that it wasn't cold or foggy isn't really important! [It was actually close to 80 degrees that day.] However, we didn't miss our chance to dine at The BV anyway. After all, it's been a San Francisco icon since 1889.

Back in Southern California [tell me again why we ever moved?], it was time to think about a gift for Father's Day. I immediately remembered the two napkins I [accidentally on purpose] took with me that day. The napkins detail a beautiful line drawing of The Buena Vista. How can I incorporate these into a gift for my husband?

Although I'm a master at decoupage, I had never used napkins in any of my projects--until now.

I gathered all my supplies: the napkins (obviously), 4" ceramic tiles, paper cutter, sharp scissors, off-white cardstock, corner rounder, liquid chalk, Mod Podge and a brush, and a pint of my favorite Irish Whiskey [this item is optional].

Since the napkin was so thin, I decided to first decoupage plain cardstock onto the tile. I cut two 3-3/4" squares, rounded the corners and edged them with brown chalk. Then decoupaged the cardstock to the tiles.

I cut out the illustration with sharp scissors, keeping the napkin folded. It was easier to get a precise cut using the four napkin layers. Then I CAREFULLY decoupaged the just the top layer of the napkin to the front of the cardstock tile.

It was a little tricky to lay down the thin napkin, but if you work gently and quickly, you get a great result. Three more coats of decoupage and felt rounds to the back finished the project.