How To Decoupage Just About Anything

Did you know you can decoupage just about anything? Gluing paper to items makes them new again. I’m showing you how to decoupage everything.

One medium that I love to work with is paper.  Not to be confused with loving to hang wallpaper- on the contrary, but I love to take tired objects around our home and decoupage them, or decorate them with paper cut outs.  That’s the Cliff Notes definition of decoupage, but truly, if something hangs around here long enough, I’m either going to a) monogram it or b) decoupage it.  Depending on what you would like to decoupage, it’s a relatively easy craft and truly transforms things.

To start, you’ll need something that you would like to decoupage, in this case, I’m using a tray.  You’ll also need whatever paper you would like to cover the object with along with glue and a foam brush.  Modge Podge is made specifically for decoupaging, and you can find it at all craft stores and online.  If you’re in a pinch, you can use Elmer’s glue; add a tiny amount of water to he glue and stir it well, then you’ll be good to go.

Measure bottom inside of the tray and cut the paper according to the measurements.

With the foam brush, brush on a thin coat of Modge Podge on the inside bottom of the tray, and carefully place the paper down, rubbing down the surface as you to go eliminate air pockets and wrinkles.  Go slowly as once the paper adheres, it’s tough to get off.

Once the paper is affixed to the tray, brush another coating of Modge Podge over the entire surface of the paper.  This is a protective coating, and it helps seal the deal.

This is how you decoupage just about anything.  Some things are more tedious and need more acute measuring and attention to detail; patterns need to be matched and that sort of thing.  You’re basically limitless on what you can decoupage.

Papier-mache animal heads are great candidates.  I found this deer head at West Elm a few years ago and decided that the all white was a little too boring.  But with this scrap wallpaper I used, I decoupaged that thing right up.  I did cheat and spray painted the antlers, but this deer head has turned in to quite the conversation piece and it hangs proudly in my office.

I’ve decoupaged the tops of dressers, lamp shades and I’ve even decoupaged maps on the wall in one of the stairways in our previous house.  The method is the same.  Measure, brush on, carefully adhere paper, then brush on another coating of Modge Podge.

Do you have something that looks like it could use a lift?  Well then by all means, decoupage it!