Here’s a quick and easy Spring decoupage project for yourself
or friends who garden.
Materials:
Plant images and names cut from your seed catalogues or magazines
Cardboard or balsa wood rectangles to fit your images
Wooden tongue depressors, popsicle sticks or stainless steel
skewers as stakes to mount your plant tags and poke them into the ground
Elmer’s Glue-All or Mod Podge
Scissors
Small bowl of water
Acrylic paint (optional)
Prep surface:
If you are using balsa wood, you may need to sand off any rough
edges. Do so gently to avoid splintering the wood. Then wipe away
any dust with a damp sponge.
Decide if you want a colored background. The balsa wood showing
through is a nice look by itself – kind of like old-fashioned orange
crates. If you want color, apply two coats of acrylic paint, allowing
two hours drying time for each coat. If there are any rough spots,
sand again; and wipe away any dust as before.
Decoupage
This is a great tip from Durwin Rice. If you are using images with
color on both sides (like from a catalogue or magazine), soak each
image in a small bowl of water until it stops curling and floats
freely without wrinkles.
This relaxes the paper fibers making it much easier to position the image cleanly on the decoupage
glue/sealer. Images will slide easily into place and not be “grabbed”
by the glue.
Liberally apply glue/sealer to the area for each image and slide the
image into place. Gently smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles with your
fingertips.
Using a damp sponge, wipe over the image and around the edges to
remove any stray glue.
Repeat until all your images and plant names are in place.
Let dry thoroughly.
Check for bubbles while they dry. If some develop, smooth gently. If
they are already set, pierce with a pin or craft knife, then smooth.
It won’t even show when your piece is done.
Back (Optional):
Paint the back of each tag with two coats of acrylic paint.
Embellish (Optional):
Use a wide nib pen to draw outlines, background patterns or border
trims on the front. Run the pen around the edge to give a nice finished
look.
Seal:
Using a sponge brush, apply at least two coats of acrylic-based
polyurethane. Since the markers will be exposed to the elements, three or
four would be better. You’ll also see how additional coats add a special
depth. Your markers will look as if you hand painted them!
Mount:
Using appropriate glue or fasteners, attach each plant label tag to
a stake.
About the Author
Ms Bergen has had a varied career, first as a teacher and later, after getting a MBS degree, as a vice president of a major insurance company. She has been making and selling crafts for the last 8 years.