Seashells Wall Decor

Supplies:

Seashells
Wooden picture frame without glass
Glue
Mod podge
Acrylic paints
Paint brush/foam brush

Tutorial:

I had this wooden picture frame for a while and recently its glass has broken. This is a re-purposing project to use the frame as a ocean themed wall decor.

Attach the back panel to the frame either by heavy duty stapler or by using the clips already on the frame.Paint the frame and back panel with your desired color. Allow it to dry.

Glue the shells onto the back panel. (If the frame doesn't have a backing, use a cardboard piece cut into the shape and attach to the frame using heavy duty stapler or glue). Once the glue has dried apply two coats of mod podge over the shells and frame to seal the work.

How to Press & Mod podge Leaves for Wall Decor

Supplies:
Leaves

For drying leaves: 

A big heavy book
Wax paper


For preserving and sealing:
Mod podge
Paint brush
Tweezer
Paper clips or cloth clips

For showcasing:
Picture frames
Screws and screw driver

Tutorial:
Several steps are involved in this tutorial. First step is to dry and press leaves. Then the dried leaves are sealed using mod podge to preserve its color and texture. Finally showcasing the leaves using picture frames.

1) Cut leaves of your choice using a scissor or sharp knife. Make sure the leaves are in perfect condition.

Drying leaves: 
2) The next step is drying the leaves. Here, I used a heavy book for this purpose. Get a sheet of wax paper and fold it in half. Place the wax paper in the middle of a heavy book. Carefully, arrange the leaf/leaves on the wax paper. You can orient the leaves in the  direction you want. Working with a big leaf is way easier than working with very small leaves.

Once you arrange the leaves, close the book, so that the leaf is sandwiched between the two layers of wax paper, and leave it for a week for drying. You may check in between and be sure the leaves are in proper orientation.

3) After a week, take the wax paper along with the leaves from the book and iron in medium setting. While ironing, place a thin cloth over the wax paper. Iron for 1-2 min. Then flip the leaves and repeat the process.

Preserving and sealing:
4) At this point, the leaves are very brittle so handle them very carefully. Using a tweezer, gently transfer the leaves to metal or glass surface ( I used a baking tray). Apply a thin coat of the mod podge to one side of the leaf and stem.

  5) Hang it for drying using a paper clip or  cloth clips.

6) After an hour or two, apply another thin coat to the other side of the leaf and stem. Make sure to apply a generous amount to the places where the stem holding the leaf. (If you break any leaves, don't worry! mod podge will work as a glue as well as a sealer. So, this is the perfect time for mending any broken leaves). Leave it for drying for an overnight. After this step, you will see the leaves are not brittle or fragile, instead they are supple and bendable. Also, there is a clear transparent seal on the mod podged leaf (see the picture below). In this way you can preserve the leaf and color for longer periods.
 

Showcasing:
7) Once the leaves are dry, it is the time to showcase them as wall decor. Choose the right frame, depending on the size of the leaf. Get two picture frames and disassemble the components. To showcase a leaf, you need one frame and two glasses.

8) Place  the frame upside down and place one glass. Then keep the leaf with wrong side up (wrong side implies the side to be not seen).

9) Next, place the second glass on the top of the leaf. Now the leaf is sandwiched in between two glasses. Secure the the glasses to the frame using the clips on the frame. Hang the pictures using a several screws.

DIY Canvas Picture Frame

 

 

Supplies:
Photo prints (8" X 10" )
Canvas (8" X 10")
Mod podge (Matte finish)
Foam brush
Acrylic paint 

Select a photo to decoupage on canvas. Apply an even coat of mod podge over canvas using a foam brush.  With extreme care lay the photograph over the modpodged surface of the canvas. Nicely even out the surface and make sure there are no air bubbles trapped in between the photograph and canvas.
Let it dry and trim any of the overhanging edges of photograph. Apply another coat of mod podge over the photo.  At this point, the surface of the photo looks covered in white brush strokes (see the picture below). 

It's perfectly fine and you will see the white color vanishes once the mod podge is dry. Make sure the brush strokes are either in horizontal or vertical direction. Let the mod podge dry.

Finally paint the four edges of the canvas (Choose matching or contrasting color). You may need 2-3 coats. Let the paint dry. Apply one more coat of mod podge on the painted edges. After it dries, hang up the pictures !!

  

Cardboard Photo Frame: A DIY Upcycling Project

 

This is a DIY upcycling project using cardboard to showcase three portraits. It would be a perfect decor for small and narrow walls.

Supplies:
Cardboard pieces (one 19 " x 7 "+ four small strips)
Mod podge
3 Portraits
Strips of cotton fabric (different colors preferred)
Foam paint brush
Scissors

1.Cut one 19 " x 7 " cardboard (as shown in picture A). Apply an even coat of mod podge to the smooth side of the cardboard using a foam brush. Select three portraits and press each of them onto the mod podged surface of the cardboard. Smooth out the surface and make sure there are no bubbles trapped. Trim any overhanging sides of the photos. Then apply a layer of mod podge over the portraits. Let it dry. This is going to be the main frame.

 

2. Cut four cardboard strips (as shown in picture B), which are going to be the four sides  of the frame. Take one strip, apply a thick coat of mod podge, and découpage with a colorful cotton fabric. Tuck in one end of the fabric (the places you may need to tuck in the fabric is shown as green solid line in picture B)  to the wrong side ("wrong" side implies the side to be not seen)  of the cardboard strip. You may leave the other end of the fabric hanging (the places you may leave the fabric hanging is shown as red solid line in picture B). Repeat the same to the rest of the cardboard strips.

3. The next step is to glue the four découpaged strips to the main frame. Apply a coat of the mod podge to the wrong side of the strips to and press them onto the four sides. Using mod podge glue the extra fabric which is hanging from the strips to the back side of the main frame.

4. Apply one more coat of mod podge over the entire project and let it dry for an overnight. 

5. I have also attached a small fabric piece using mod podge and stapled to the back side of the main frame for hanging it to the wall.

( I left the back side of my project as the way it is. You may decoupage another fabric to make it extra neat and professional.)