Thursday, March 25, 2010

How to Decoupage Treasured Family Postcards

I have an idea for a gift for my brother who is a big traveler and who loves to send postcards.

I have gathered postcards from the family and I would like to decoupage them onto a trunk.

I read one of your tips about photos printed on plain paper being easier to work with. So my plan is to scan the postcards and print out on plain paper.

Do you have any other advice for a project involving a trunk?

Thanks,
Larkin

Vintage Trunk DecoupageHi Larkin,


Yes I do.

Scan and print or copy postcards onto regular weight computer or copy paper.

If you use an inkjet printer, spray the copies with two coats of clear acrylic to preseal and prevent ink bleed when you apply the decoupage medium. Toner-based inks (from color copiers or laserjet printers) do not bleed, so there is no need to preseal.

Here is a step-by-step article on How to Decoupage an Old Trunk. If your trunk is new, just skip the part on removing the old finish and sanding the wood smooth.

Depending on where the trunk will be placed, you may want to consider a more durable finish coat or even one that protects against UV rays. For that, read about Outdoor Finishes for Decoupage.

Regards,
Eileen

4 comments:

  1. Darn, Why didn't I think of this great idea before I got rid of the 1,000 or so postcards in my collection a few years ago!

    Thanks Eileen for keeping the creative ideas going and keeping us thinking outside the box.

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  2. Anonymous4:50 PM

    Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave.com in the Handcraft category today [25 Mar 05:00pm GMT]. Thanks, Maria

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  3. Judy, I inherited a ton of postcards from my uncle going back to the mid 1880s (I think). What a treasure trove!

    They've been a source of genealogy information and a peek into an earlier time.

    I need to digitize them (in my spare time - lol) to preserve and better organize them.

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  4. Maria, I'm so happy you continue to follow my blog and share bits and pieces with your readers. Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete

Aren't you sweet to take time to leave a comment. My readers are simply the best!