Decoupage and Mod Podge Art Tutorials and Projects

When I think of decoupage, which was another huge crafting hit when I was young, I have a picture in my mind of my grandmother’s flat topped wooden purse that had postage stamps from foreign countries decoupaged on the top.  

Talk about the early 1970’s!

Following the trend to upcycle, decoupage is one of the most popular crafts that is coming back from its place in hiding.  It is a great way to decorate almost anything, from glass jars to large pieces of furniture. 

We have some wonderful decoupage tutorials, books, and crafts for you to explore.  Before we get to that, let's talk a little about decoupage itself.

What is Decoupage?

This technique is sometimes called Mod Podge decoupage, as Mod Podge was one of the first modern glue and sealant used.

The process of decoupage is cutting out images from paper or other medium and gluing them onto another surface.  The glued cut out portion is then sealed, forming a hard and smooth surface. As a matter of fact, the word decoupage comes from the French word decoupert, meaning “to cut out”.

Decoupage has been called “painting with paper” as the finished products can actually look like they were professionally painted!  

Even beginners can produce lovely and stunning work. We have found wonderful decoupage art tutorials to help you get started with this fun art.

There are many items on which you can use as your foundation for the art of decoupage:  

• Glass
• Plastic
• Wood
• Boxes
• Vases 
• Pots
• Plates 
• Trays 
• Bowls
• Lamps 
• Lampshades
• Furniture
• Frames 
• Mirrors
• Terra Cotta
• And more!!!

You may be surprised by the many items that you can decoupage onto your foundations:

• Paper
• Fabric
• Tissue Paper
• Napkins
• Stickers
• Postage Stamps
• Wrapping Paper
• Photographs
• And so much more!

We Have Just the Right Stuff Here!

We have some great links below that give you the history of decoupage, the materials, and instructions on how to prepare your foundation. 

You will also find tips for perfect cutting techniques, the different types of glue to use, and how to finish your product to protect it for years to come.

There are wonderful books available on the topic of decoupage, and you will find links to several of these books below.

For those of you who are ready to get started, we have many free decoupage projects to inspire you.

Check out the fun decoupage container covered with postage stamps.  You’ll also find projects that are seasonal, such as a clever way to decoupage a dollar store pumpkin and various holiday tea light holder tutorials. 

We also have several tutorials for seasonal picture frame decoupage art.

I found an old end table that needs some sprucing up.  Painting it and then decoupaging on the top surface is my next decoupage project. 

What will you be trying?