A few weeks back I was happy to receive a box of Martha Stewart Crafts Decoupage products to try out. There are numerous decoupage-related brands on the market to experiment with, so trying a line from my crafting hero was a welcome assignment. Included in the shipment were paper cutouts, three different types of finish and even some fabric trim. I knew the Multi-Surface Finish – Durable Glow-in-the-Dark needed to be included in a Halloween project right away!
The large bottles feature screw-off caps (as opposed to squeeze caps), which I appreciated – as it was much easier to pour just the amount I needed and keep messes to a minimum. When a mess did occur, it was easy to wipe away. The finishes dried quickly and were relatively odorless for sensitive noses. And the paper cutouts are easy for any age to pop off the page and put to crafty work.
The next time you’re at the craft store, give the Martha Stewart Crafts Decoupage line a look. Right now, see the finishes and trims in action for a last-minute Halloween project idea.
Materials
- Small paper-wrapped container of your choice
- Martha Stewart Crafts Decoupage Multi-Surface Finish – Durable Glow-in-the-Dark
- Foam brush
- Trims or paper cutouts of your choice
- Hot glue or strong adhesive tape
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Fray Check (optional)
- Freezer or wax paper
Instructions
1. Prep your container surface. If any labels need to be removed, do that now. I used a plain pencil cup from the office supply store and removed the inside dividers.
| 2. Apply a thin, even coat of the glow-in-the-dark medium all over your container. You can set your container on a piece of freezer paper (glossy side up) or wax paper to help prevent the finish from sticking in between coats. Or, if your (or your child’s) hand fits inside the container, put it to work: Turn the container upside down on your hand and paint from bottom to top. |
3. Once your first coat is on, choose your decorating route. Regardless of paper cutouts vs. trim, the more coats of finish you add, the better the results with the glow-in-the-dark look.
4. If your crafter has chosen to decorate his or her container with paper cutouts, apply those to the surface after the first coat, add an additional coat of finish and set aside to dry for one hour. Apply extra coats of finish for your achieved look.
| 5. To show the paper cutout effect, I used an empty pickle jar (clean, of course!), the Martha Stewart Crafts Decoupage Paper Cut-outs featuring butterflies and ferns and durable gloss finish. I applied a small amount of finish to the back of the paper cutout and placed onto the jar. |
| 6. Then, apply another coat of finish on top of the decoration, adding a 1/4″ border of coverage all the way around to ensure a tight seam. |
| 7. If you need to touch up an area, simply wet a napkin and carefully rub away. |
| 8. If you’re using ribbon/trim, apply those accessories after your final coat of finish has dried. Start at one box corner and add your adhesive one side at a time. |
| If using hot glue, use the eraser end to help position the trim into place and avoid burned fingers. Add a drop of Fray Check to keep any ribbon ends from unraveling. |
9. Once your design is finished, it’s time for it to charge. Glow-in-the-dark paint gets its “charge” to glow by being exposed to bright light. The longer the amount of time in the light, the better.
10. Once you’ve charged your container, fill it up with goodies, turn off the lights, and take a look at your hard work!
