Mod Podge, Oh My Godge!

I recently was invited to a very prestigious crafting event at a good friend's apartment. A select group of 20-something white women from all walks of life - from the gainfully employed to grad students - all came together, putting differences in decorating sensibilities aside, and Mod Podged. We glued paper to canvas and created inspired canvases filled with paper. The crafting event was a time of building woman-to-woman relationships, discussing careers, and wondering when men of marriageable ages would return our texts. In short, it was Sex In the City meets Girls meets Oprah meets Oprah's Favorite Things meets Oprah's Book Club, with an emphasis on crafting.

Mod Podge adheres more than just paper to canvas... it is the glue that holds friendships together, and cat hair to the floor. But you might be wondering, how do I Mod Podge a canvas, and can I do it alone? The answer is I'll tell you and yes, but it's sad.

The first thing you need for Mod Podge crafting is Mod Podge. It's a large container of glue that you can find in any craft store, Target, Walmart, or best friend's apartment. You will also need something to spread the glue with, this can be a paint brush or a foam brush or a napkin - but probably the first two.




Photo from a legitimate crafting blog

I normally use the Matte finish because it's easier to tell when it's dry, and being from the midwest I don't like too much shine. Additionally, you will need small canvases and magazines or different types of colorful paper.







Photos from Wikipedia and baby blog, lilsugar.com. Babies love paper.

So that's really all you need. And maybe some paint and scissors. And a couple bottles of wine. The next thing to do is find your inspiration. This can be found on TV, the Internet, books, and Starbucks. Once you have an inspired theme, go with it! Start cutting out photos in magazines... maybe you want celebrities posing with Muppets or food animals, I know I did.

Then go ahead and lay out your design BEFORE Mod Podging to the canvas. It is important to remember the before part. I've overestimated my crafting abilities in the past, only to be left with tearful voicemail trails to my mother that end in her telling me "an artist can always fix her mistakes." Can she really?

Once you've determined the layout of your canvas, remove the paper in segments and brush on Mod Podge. Then place the paper back on top of the Mod Podged area, and spread more over top of it to seal it in. You might also consider painting on your canvas and using three dimensional paper shapes for added flair. Be sure to allow enough time for drying (about one Lifetime movie). Here are some examples of what you can expect to create:




The flowers really pop, while adding words really forces people to look at your work. Nice.




This is a man board to remind straight women of what to hold out for. Note the wine in hand, this moves the creative process along nicely.




A smattering of artful canvases. You'll want to enlarge this photo for more detail.

You can hang your art in your home, your office, or gift them to friends and family who understand that handmade gifts are priceless (i.e. your mom or grandma). Happy crafting!!