Decoupage a Victorian Treasure Box With Very Little Effort

Once you learn to decoupage a victorian treasure box, there is no limit to the items you can decorate and the personalized gifts you can make for family and friends.

Decoupage is a craft that can be mastered by both children and adults. It's great fun to do with your children. They will derive a lot of satisfaction from being able to give gifts that are both decorative and useful. Decoupage this victorian treasure box and you will have mastered to basic skill to go on and make any number of useful personalized gifts.

The supply list for decoupage is simple and inexpensive. To begin you will need:

• An item to decoupage, such as a box, small table, tray or other firm item
• Paper napkins, photocopies of photos, fabric, or gift wrapping paper to use as the decorative decoupage covering
• Decoupage medium known as Mod Podge, an all in one glue and lacquer. Complete instructions for use come with the product.
• Brushes for brushing on the Mod Podge. Disposable foam brushes are available in many sizes for a reasonable price.
• An item used to smooth out air bubbles and adhere the paper to the background, such as a brayer (a roller sold for decoupage), old credit card, or wallpaper roller.
• Sandpaper and tack cloth
• Any decorative trims you would like to add on your box.

Before starting your project, be sure to cover your work surface with a plastic drop cloth to protect your work surface.

Instructions on How to Decoupage a Victorian Treasure Box

Clean your box carefully. If the box is used, sand it down to make a smooth surface. Wipe the box down with a tack cloth. Prepare your decoupage covering. In this case, I've used photocopies of old victorian post cards. Cut you pieces the way that you'd like to see them arranged on your Victorian treasure box.

Brush the back of your decorative decoupage paper with Mod Podge. Place it where you want it on the item and press it down smoothly with your fingers. Use a roller or the edge of a credit card to carefully smooth out all the air bubbles. Wipe off the card or roller immediately after use to prevent any smearing of the Mod Podge. Keep your hands as clean as possible to prevent your hands from sticking to the decoupage material.

Once you have your surface covered the way you want it, roll over the entire piece one more time with a roller, credit card, or brayer to smooth everything out and remove any remaining air bubbles. You will then cover the entire piece with a thin layer of Mod Podge. Be extra careful around edges and corners to make sure the decoupage layer is securely attached with no loose edges. Don't worry if the Mod Podge looks cloudy. It will dry clear. It will take 15-20 minutes for this layer to dry, depending on the amount of Mod Podge you used.

Once the first coat is dry, apply a second coat of Mod Podge in the same manner. When the second coat has dried, it will still be a little tacky. Let the item dry overnight to make sure it is totally dry. Check your project one last time for excess Mod Podge or loose edges. If necessary, smooth out the surface with your fine grade sandpaper.

If you'd like, you can also decoupage the inside with a fabric lining or coordinating paper by following the same instructions given above.

Once the item has dried overnight, this is the time add any additions you might want to your project. Fabric trims, ruffles, jewels, beads, glitter or any other addition that fits into your finished product idea can be added at this stage.

Voila, that's all there is to it. Your victorian treasure box is finished. You're holding a beautiful custom made gift that's not only decorative, but useful too. Now that you've finished, what new item can you make with the rest of your Mod Podge? Check out your garage and attic. Go to yard sales and flea markets. There are numerous items out there crying out to be decoupaged and recycled into beautiful, useful gifts and decorative items.