Card making: How to get a way with decoupage ...

Come in, come in, quickly, because I have a confession ...

My name is Julie ... and the other day... I browsed for, bought and then used ... wait for it ...

... decoupage sheets.

On purpose.

Without a gun to my head.

I know ... you're wondering whether I've got an undiagnosed concussion aren't you? And you'd be forgiven ... I am pretty accident prone ... but look ... I can still touch your finger with my nose ... or my finger with your nose ... or whatever it is they test for. So, no, no concussions here.

But what I did have was a card making commission [from a family member] and the card's recipient apparently has fond memories of a motorbike and side-car. And, off the top of my head, I couldn't think of any of my existing craft supplies that would fit the bill ...

So I did what anyone in search of anything does. I Googled.

I used the very obvious terms 'motor bike and sidecar crafts' and Google didn't fail me ...as this from Craft Corner was the first return:

CLick on the photo to visit the product on the Craft Corner site. No, I am not getting paid to say that!

And for £1.25 I wasn't going to argue ... so I bought them.

And the coincidental thing was ... while I initially needed them for the motorbike and side-car commission I was excited to see the scootery/moped thing on there too [yes, I know, I did just admit to being excited by a decoupage sheet]. Because this was the very same week that someone else was turning 18 and who I knew was being given a moped to mark the occasion! Ah, hello again old friend serendipity ...

So I set to work on combining a further 42pence worth of decoupage sheet not only into my own style of crafting but, more importantly, into a style that wouldn't look out of place on an 18 year old's birthday window sill.

Here's what I came up with ...

I reckoned you couldn't beat a bit of crisp black and white chevron to add some contemporary crafting style to what has long been a more ... er m... 'traditional' area of crafting. Then I simply layered on top of it a few journaling cards and washi strips in co-ordinating colours. Throw in a striped paperclip, a stamped greeting and a number sticker and I was good to go.

And, in case you don't quite believe it's a decoupage image ... here ... look at the layers! That's good old fashioned foam-pad-raised depth that is!

And if you thought this was similar to the 'Arrow' inspired anniversary card in my last card making post .. you'd be entirely right. [Hop back a few posts to here to see what I mean.]

The thing is I've found a design layout and a style I like right now ... and I'm running with it [or should that be 'riding' with it. No. It probably shouldn't be. Should it?]

I'm enjoying not having to think of a new idea every time I sit down to push paper around. In fact, remind me to share the dozen or so additional cards I've made using pretty much the exact same layout and I might make up a sketch for you to use too ... so we can all just keep churning out the same tried and tested style!

And so .... yes, I used decoupage, voluntarily. Without anyone holding any members of my family hostage. And not only did I live to tell the tale ... I was 100% happy with the outcome!

Maybe the rehabilitation of decoupage starts here ... #bringingdecoupageback not that it's actually been anywhere ... OK how about #modernisingdecoupage?

And if we can get someone to make moustaches, beards and craft beer themed decoupage sheets then we'll have made it #realhipstersdodecoupage.

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• So tell me ... dare you confess to decoupaging ...?
• Have you brought a modern slant to an old-style product?

Share, share, share - drop me links to your own projects, leave a comment, tell me I'm talking nonsense and that you've never stopped decoupaging you #oldschoolcrafter you!

Speak now ...

Julie