Tour de Craft Guest Designer - Amy Anderson!

Today's guest is the Queen of Mod Podge. I'm so excited to have the super talented, bicycle-loving Amy Anderson joining me on the blog again this year! I *adore* the bicycle bookends she uses here, but this is a great tutorial for altering bookends, regardless of the shape!



Hello! I'm Amy from Mod Podge Rocks - and I also blog at two other places (DIY Candy and Washi Tape Crafts). I'm busy between all of my blogs, but never too busy to watch cycling! My boyfriend is a cyclist, but even before I met him, I always loved watching the Tour de France. Between all the different types of terrain and the crashes, there's always action. I'm always sad when the 21 days is over! Last year I did some simple decoupage bicycle art, and this year I bring to you some simple bookends . . . with a special touch: crackle! I tried paint crackling on these floral bookends, and it was so easy. Here's how I did it. Gather These Supplies

• Wood bookends (mine are from Kaisercraft)
• Mod Podge Satin
• Acrylic paint - Orange, Warm White, Coastal Blue
• FolkArt Crackle Medium
• Scrapbook paper - 1 sheet
• Scissors or craft knife
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Paintbrush
• Craft glue

When I first saw these bicycle bookends, I knew I had to have them! So easy to decoupage.



Use the pencil to trace the bookends on your scrapbook paper. You just need paper facing the outside - so trace each piece of the bookend one time. Then cut out and set aside.

 

Paint the wood bicycle pieces with Warm White - I also painted the sides of the bookend pieces that would be facing the outside with the same color. This is especially important if your paper is thinner. If you were to paint the bookends completely orange, then that color might show through your paper, so it's better to back those sides with white.

 

Paint the other sides orange (or whatever color coordinates with your paper). Let all of your pieces dry.

  

On top of the wood bicycle pieces, you'll paint the Crackle Medium on top. Let dry for about 1 - 2 hours (or whatever your particular bottle instructions say).

 

When the crackle medium is dry, paint your contrasting color all over the bicycle pieces. And then it's amazing - the crackling starts!!! You don't brush over the area repeatedly, you only brush over in one direct with a medium coat of paint (you don't want to ruin what just crackled). Do this over both wood bicycle pieces . . . paint them completely and let dry.

 

Then decoupage the pieces of paper down with your Mod Podge. Let dry 15 - 20 minutes.

 

Glue all of the pieces together with the craft glue, and give a coat of Mod Podge to seal the paper and the bicycle.
 

Your bookends are "fini"!! Come visit my at my blogs any time for more exciting decoupage action. And special thanks to Libby for having me. See you soon!!

Thanks so much Amy!! Now I need to hunt down these bookends for myself...!

Thanks for stopping by,