Mod Podge Halloween faux mosaic.

There are, on occasion, those projects that are very time consuming but are completely worth it in the end. It's like the time I painted acorns. That was a labor of love. But the truth is that time consuming crafts can be worth it and also SO relaxing. I imagine that was the case with this amazing Halloween mosaic from Melissa. You can tell she spent a lot of time on it but the results were oh-so-worth it. You can adapt this mosaic process to any holiday or image (I'm thinking of doing my pug Roxie). Melissa's tutorial makes it easy to understand, so head over there and then get your mosaic on ASAP.

Halloween faux mosaic with Mod Podge at The Happier Homemaker

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Mod Podge composition notebooks.

Back to school is in full swing - and what is the current state of your notebooks? Are they boring? Because if so, you need a completely overhaul. And it doesn't take much . . . just a bit of scrap paper and some Mod Podge. Rhiannon has a good point in her post about making her own cute notebooks. I too see those ones that are $500 at Target (okay, not that much) and covet them. But it doesn't have to be that way. Pizazz up some clearance notebooks just by following Rhiannon's tutorial.

Pretty little notepads at Being Mom{me}

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Halloween paper spider cones.

If you are new to my blog then you should know one thing right away - I love Halloween. It is without a doubt my favorite holiday, and I believe in going all out for it. Who doesn't love candy and spooky decorating? I decided to decorate paper cones this year, and turn them into Halloween paper spider cones. I decorated a doily cone last year for Christmas, and I definitely needed a few Halloween ones. So how did I make them fancy? With some scrapbook paper and a pile of new EKSuccess tools that I got in the mail.

I'm a huge fan of paper crafting tools, and EKSuccess was nice enough to send me a set of theirs to use.  I'm always using tools with paper and Mod Podge. Here's what I got - and these products are available at select Walmarts (FYI):

This is new packaging for EKSuccess and it looks fantabulous. There are project ideas on the packages and also QR codes. If you have a smart phone, you can scan the QR codes to go to educational videos about the product. Cool, huh?

If you are a fan of Halloween like I am, and you need some home decor, take a peek at my tutorial for these cones. These are so easy to make. Here's how it's done.

Gather These Supplies

EKSuccess Tools including the 1"scallop punch, retractable knife and titanium scissors
Paper mache cones - available from the craft store
Martha Stewart scrapbook paper - Halloween (I chose two themes)
Black scrapbook paper - 1 sheet
Embellishments - spider stickers and other stuff to put on/top the paper cones
Mod Podge Gloss
Acrylic paint - orange and black
Dowel rod - 1/16"
Paintbrush
Craft glue
Optional: spider stencil and black glitter paint

If you were wondering what the paper cones look like when you are shopping, here they are. Very paper. Very cone-like.

Your first step is to paint the bottom of your cones. You don't HAVE to do this, but I like in case a little bit of cone ends up peaking out. Let the paint dry.

This tool is going to be your best friend in this project, and is actually one of my favorite tools in the whole world. This isn't the first project I've done with the 1" scallop punch. I love this thing.

You are going to need a television or radio for this part - you need to punch out quite a few scalloped circles from your paper. You'll be covering both cones with them.

This is the best I could organize - I sorted my little scalloped punched papers into piles, so that I could make sure to know what I have (and get even numbers of each).

You can start wherever you want to on the cone - you just need to paint some Mod Podge down, smooth a circle down and then Mod Podge over the top. You'll want to overlap your circles. You'll probably also want to bend the circles a little bit before Mod Podging them down if the paper is thicker. I did this and it really helped.

Cover both cones and let dry - then paint a layer of Mod Podge over the top. Let that dry.

Use the retractable knife to trim the paper that overlaps the bottom.

At some point I decided I would add toppers to my paper cones. I used the scissors to cut off the ends.

I then painted small pieces of dowel rods with black paint, inserted them into the ends and glued them in. Then I glued embellishments on either side of the dowel rod.

One of the embellishments was a bat that I traced on the black paper with a stencil and cut out - then added black paint.

To finish off my cones, I added spiders. I used these spider stickers and some larger spiders that I glued to the sides.

Here's a bit of detail . . .

And the cones one more time. I'm sure by now you are convinced that you need paper cones, a scallop punch and of course, Mod Podge.

Did you like the tools? Don't forget to visit EKSuccess on Facebook, or their project site Spotted Canary for more ideas to make with them. You can also get an idea of what they have to offer with the video below. Enjoy!

Full post disclosure here.

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Floral Mod Podge keychains.

I am always changing out keychains. I kind of think of them as a fashion accessory, you know? I'm also always looking for great gift ideas, and these small floral keychains fit the bill. You don't need many supplies, and if you have paper scraps and some scrapbooking embellishments in your stash, you are good to go. Don't you love them? Easy to find, too. Visit Jill to learn how they were made.

Mod Podge keychains at Create.Craft.Love.

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Whimsical personalized journals.

I just love these little notebooks with snaps and handles that Kim dug out of her stash - and I love it even more than she used paper and Mod Podge to customize them for daughter's birthday party! Who doesn't want a personalized journal to log their hopes and dreams in? Or to sketch pictures of their favorite pugs? Exactly. There's a lot more info at Kim's blog, so pay her a visit to see how she made them.

Personalized journals at Too Much Time on My Hands

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Chevron awesome night stand.

Have I told you lately that I love refinishing furniture with Mod Podge? You will not believe how easy it is, seriously. Tables (including end tables and night stands) are particularly my favorite because they are smaller than a regular table, so the refinishing is done faster.

I love Kari's chevron night stand re-do and I think you will as well. The addition of the felt flowers is fun and bright, which I appreciate. Her total cost for the revamp? Less than $18, and I can get behind that. Visit her to see how she did it.

From garage sale craptastic to designer chic at A Grace Full Life

Interested in more Mod Podged table tutorials? Check these out:

• Luggage rack to tray table
• Colorful end table re-do
• Owl fabric table upcycle
• Fancy octopus table
• Man Podged table
• TV tray turned table

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DIY paperweights from glass candle holders.

Hi! It’s Shannon from Madigan Made and today I want to show you a simple and inexpensive project.

I don’t know about you, but I’m an avid dollar store junkie. Next to the craft store, the dollar store is one of my favorite places for creative inspiration. I love going there just to look around for inexpensive craft materials. This month when I saw these shallow, rounded glass votive candles, I wondered if they could be flipped upside-down and decorated to make paperweights.

So, I grabbed a pack, got home and I made two paperweights in no time! All I needed was some scrap paper, decoupage and resin. I used pretty paper that I already had at home that would coordinate with the colors in my home office.

Want to make one for your desk or as a quick and easy handmade gift? It is so simple!

How to make a paperweight with decoupage and a glass candle votive:

Supplies Needed

• Shallow, glass candle holders
• Scrapbook paper
• Mod Podge (gloss or satin formula)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Brush
• Pourable resin (and any needed materials to mix like: disposable container, gloves, Wooden stick, etc.)   

Step One: Find a round object that is a similar size to the circular inset of the candle. Trace a circle around the item and cut the shape out to fit inside the glass candle holder. Trim a strip of paper that will line the sides for the hole in the glass.

Step Two:  Brush a thick layer of Mod Podge on the interior areas of the glass. Press the two pieces of paper (the circle and the strip) onto the glass, with the back of the paper facing you (the ‘good’ side should be facing outward through the glass). Smooth out any bubbles (they will be easy to see when you look through the glass).

Once that dries, apply another thick coat of Mod Podge on top of the paper. Allow that to dry completely.

NOTE: You can technically stop at this point and you will have a pretty, decorated piece of glass that will function as a paperweight. I chose to go a little further and fill that open cavity with resin so that the piece looked more finished. Adding the resin also added more weight to the object, making it feel like a heavy piece of glass.

Step Three: Set up an area to pour your resin that is well ventilated.  Read the directions on the box carefully. Wear the proper advised protection. Mix the resin in a disposable container by using the two chemicals provided as directed by the manufacturer. The brand I used advised a 1:1 ratio. Stir and whip the mixture thoroughly (for about 2 minutes) and pour that solution immediately into the cavities of the candle holders. The resin mixture is self-leveling and bubbles will rise to the top on their own. But you can help eliminate the bubbles by breathing over the surface or using a propane torch. (The carbon dioxide, not heat is what helps release the trapped air.) Allow the resin to harden and cure for at least 48 hours.

Admire your pretty, new piece of “glass”!

Here is a close up of the top and bottom of the two paperweights I made: If I had planned ahead, I could’ve embedded something cute inside the resin OR decoupaged more coordinating paper to the inside of the glass hole so the print would be visible through the resin. Oh well! I like that just the simple white back of the papers show through.

The possibilities on this craft idea are endless! I think it would be cute to decoupage a circular photograph in the middle and then line the sides of the glass hole with pretty paper. That would make a great gift for any parent or grandparent.

I can’t wait to get back to the dollar store again. I definitely need to pick up more of these glass candle holders. Plus, I never know what I will find or what will inspire me!

About the Podger: You might call Shannon the Clark Kent of craft blogging. By day, she is a pharmacist and by night she shares simple ideas for crafts, décor and much more with her readers. She also craves chocolate, loves a thrifty find and tries (often unsuccessfully) to avoid glue gun burns. You can find Shannon on her blog, Madigan Made, and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, too.

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Dress up some glass plates.

I've had people ask me about Mod Podging plates before, and it's definitely possible, as you can see from this project at Diary of a Mad Crafter. It's the polka dot one in particular that drew me in. It happens every time! I love the technique she used to get the paper to fold over on the edges, so you'll need to pay a visit to see the tutorial. You can do it, I promise!

Mod Podge a glass plate at Diary of a Mad Crafter

Here are a few more Mod Podging glass plate ideas:

• Beginning Mod Podger owl plates
• Sea creatures glassware
• DIY glass citrus plates
• Mod Podged fabric plate
• Reverse decoupage plates

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Decoupaged housewares: stool, drawers and table.

I stumbled upon this site and immediately stopped because Hanne (the blogger) is from Norway. I too am Norwegian (my great-grandfather was from Oslo). Norwegians have exceedingly good taste, so I knew whatever the post was, it had to be good. I scrolled down and realized that Hanne does in fact have great taste, and how I could tell is that decoupaged so many things in her home with bright, pretty Japanese papers. These are just a few of the items, but you should visit her to see the rest of the goodness, because I think you will love it all as much as I do (I need that mushroom).

DIY at Babyramen

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Make an Anthro inspired moleskine.

I love projects inspired by Anthropologie - it's one of my favorite stores, but my checkbook is a LOT smaller than my eyeballs when it comes to their amazing things! If I can DIY it, why not? Zandi did that very thing with her notebook, and she used paper and Mod Podge. I would actually choose her notebook over the original because I like the polka dots better, but that's just me. Take a peek at the inspiration and her tutorial at her blog.

Making an Anthro-inspired moleskine and gift tags at Radical Possibility

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Bright and cheery paper beads.

I'm not sure what the challenges are in your life, but I hope one of them is what to do with your leftover scraps of craft paper. Because if that does happen to be one of your challenges, I have the perfect tutorial for you - Lowri's paper beads. Her process is easy to follow and you can have a new necklace, bracelet or whatever other jewelry piece you like that uses beads in minutes. Visit her to learn how.

Paper bead tutorial at PaperVine

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Rainbow magnet travel tangrams.

I love games - and not just because I rule at them. Haha! But seriously, I love playing games whether I win or lose. My favorite game of all time? Star Wars Trivial Pursuit. Though I do like all types of games, even if they aren't Star Wars related. This game from Delia actually combines math and puzzles into one, as children use Mod Podged shapes to create designs (also known as a tangram). The best part is that you can make this game on a budget, and the tin is recycled. Visit Delia to get the full tutorial.

Magnetic DIY travel tangram puzzles at Delia Creates

Other games you can make with Mod Podge:

• Personalized matching game
• Tic tac toe in a box
• Mod Podge backgammon
• Family yahtzee
• Personalized checkers
• Magnetic tic tac toe
• Custom concentration
• Miniature memory game

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DIY vintage escort card fridge magnets.

I love vintage children's books, as do a lot of you (I know Mod Podge Walter does too!). This project takes those children's books and turns them into place cards that you can use at a wedding or party. To add a little more fun to it, your guests can take them home and use them, because they are also fridge magnets. So versatile, so wonderful. Find the complete tutorial below.

DIY vintage escort card fridge magnets at Intimate Weddings

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Faux barnwood letters.

Okay, this project is really cool. And you'll love it. Because these letters that look like barnwood aren't actually barnwood - they are papers designed to look just like them. Rather than spending three days distressing (okay, it doesn't take that long but you know what I mean) you can have instant home decor. I love the blue that Manuela added to the edges. If you love these as much as I do, visit Manuela at her blog below.

Faux barnwood letters at A Cultivated Nest

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