Before my kids graduate from high school I should probably get a start on preserving some of the adorable, one-of-a-kind art projects they’ve brought home over the years. Things are getting a little (very) dusty plus starting to fade and become brittle. I decided to experiment with a Mod Podge protective coating thinking that it might preserve my favorite pieces and maybe even restore them a bit. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I had a couple of questions:
- How would Mod Podge react with the ubiquitous water based grade school paint, ie: would it cause the paint to bleed or run?
- What about the other staple of childhood – construction paper – might it disintegrate or tear from the moisture of the Mod Podge or even the stress of my paintbrush as I applied it?
- Would the colors be significantly changed or deepened?
Happily, everything went really well and I had no issues at all (when does this ever happen??!) In fact, the Mod Podge strengthened the more-fragile-than-wet-tissue-paper wattle under the chin of one of the animals, hurray!
PRESERVE KIDS ARTWORK WITH MOD PODGE
You will need:
- Mod Podge Matte or Gloss, depending on your preference (I chose Matte)
- An applicator, I used an inexpensive and small paint brush
- Newspaper or other to protect your work surface
The process is simple, dust or clean your object first, test a small area for compatibility (no smearing or other problems), then apply a coat of Mod Podge. I’ve learned (the hard way) the value of letting coats dry completely between applications, so I waited 24 hours before adding the second coat. The results are fantastic! These little creatures look better than ever, their child-like character intact, a bit sturdier from the glue, and a slightly glossy surface that I can maintain. I now have heirlooms I can pass down to my children – actually on second thought, I might not be able to part with them 😉
This post originally appeared at Mod Podge Rocks Blog. Check it out for more great crafting ideas.
Hammer Like a Girl 