(I searched Pinterest for "Homemade Mod Podge" and chose this image from a random person's board.)
So, several months ago I defamed Mod Podge. I regret it now, though, in some cases. At the time, my personal preference ended up being 2 parts "school glue" to one part water, a little different from the blog standard of 50/50. And while I learned the hard way that it made my markers "run" and turned expensive special papers to slushy messes, I was ok with it. It's super-cheap, gets the job done and so it's became habit to be test-cautious then but overly-generous with it. And I'm not giving it up!
But I'm also going back to my dependable friend.
Mod Podge has been a friendly face at craft stores since before I was born (thank God at least something is!) Mod Podge Rocks! is one of my favorite blogs to read on a daily basis. Amy is awesome, and in November, after it was posted and re-posted 9 billion times on Pinterest, she wrote this article, in time for holiday crafting (very thoughtful, sincerely.) She let us know the reasons that school glue and water would not protect our treasures well, and in some cases (like me and the markers) the "make-your-own" would ruin your craft.
I've said before that I'm preparing for Spring already. This process includes going through art, schoolwork, sketchbooks and other random things to flesh out the special things, the little memories I'll want to look back on when my son is driving me insane in his teens (who am I kidding, he does it now!) and remember "the good old days."
You could not pay me enough money to coat these irreplaceable items with my homemade Mod Podge. It's startling how much my son's hands have grown since last Christmas (2010 I mean,) so no way am I entrusting 2011's best and brightest to 25 cent glue!
So I'm going back to the Mod Podge aisle for my refill...and I'm also going to try some of their other formulas while I'm at it; their Shimmer formula seems to fit my current "metallic/pearl" fixation.
I love you, Mod Podge!
OH!!!
An added thank-you to the makers of Mod Podge:
Last summer I made a pendant from a bezel using scrapbook paper and Dimensional Magic. Directions are very clear, and I'm emphasizing the importance of this to you now:
You must protect the paper by using a layer or two of Mod Podge--if not, the DM seeps through and ruins the project. This is what happened to me: I used one skimpy layer, and by the next morning, I could tell my bezel was not going to be worn...ever. But life got busy and time passed, and then I found the darn thing last night.
Did you know that another really awesome thing about Dimensional Magic is that you can correct your mistakes...sort of. The paper is ruined, of course, but the bezel itself can be salvaged by letting it steep in hot water--it loosens the bond and you begin again.
But months had passed, so I wasn't hopeful. But I thought it was worth trying. In just four hours using extremely hot water, I have a my bezel back! It is a little more "gunmetal" than the shiny silver it was, but that's cool with me.
So, I hope Plaid is feeling my love!!
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