Covid19 Quarantine Craft 2020 -- Napkin Decoupage

The COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 has created "Stay-At-Home", "Shelter-in-Place", "Social Distancing", and "Quarantine" orders all over the country.  Schools closed down in March for the rest of the school year.  Sadly, many people have been without work because non-essential businesses have been forced to close.... and essential businesses have had to lay people off.  And the loss of life has been monumental.  

If there has been a bright side, it's that families have had more together time, and people have looked for things to do at home.  Creative juices have been flowing.  

Personally, I've had some craft projects that have been sitting in my craft closet since moving in here about a year and a half ago.  Sooooo, there's no time like the present. I've gotten a LOT done in these weeks of Quarantine. 

One of the new things I was getting ready to try was Napkin Decoupage with ModPodge.  I'd already bought some napkins and had started saving empty jars.  Which I'm happy to have a use for now.  Our recycling program doesn't take glass.  So I have a project for them now!  All I need now is to order some ModPodge online since I can't shop at a store.  I've learned some great tips and ideas on a Facebook page I recently started following.

The above wall hangings are some of my first tries.  Canvas, wood, metal, glass.  It works well on just about anything.  The process is to paint the surface with the m=Modpodge, carefully place the napkin on it (after removing all extra plies), and then brush on another coat of Modpodge. It dries clear.  After it dries, I put another coat on.  During the placement of the napkin on the surface, be careful to smooth out wrinkles as you go. And sometimes the napkin tears, but that ok.  It can be patched up with other pieces of the napkin and blends right in with the help of the Modpodge.

These are the first jars I tried.

 These will be table decos for the church fellowship hall.  We hope to be back in church in a couple of weeks or so.  UPDATE:  2 WEEKS DIDN'T HAPPEN.  THIS BEGAN IN EARLY MARCH, AND TODAY IS MAY 14.  CHURCH IS TARGETING JUNE 7 AS OUR RETURN DATE.

I like the translucent look once the napkins are decoupaged on

I went a little crazy with canvas and wooden signs

I think this one may go in the children's classroom at church

this one took a try or 2 -- and I lightly sanded it to distress it a bit

Niece Laci is going to get this one 

Jakeb gave me the idea when he sent a similar one to our family text.  Laci always has the most hilarious stories about her little E's!

One of Grandpa Mac's frames

David saved these for me when he was sorting through Mac's stuff

 I love how the frames turned out!  I will definitely do more of these.  They are so special to us and we proudly display them in our house.

Since I do most of my decoupaging on the patio on this table, I slapped some on the top of this glass table.  I love it.  Several days later when I went to wipe some spilled paint off of it, some of the napkin came off.  So I removed it all.  I may try again and use Outdoor Mod Podge on it.  Or some other outdoor sealer.

I spruced up my Plain Jane sewing machine cover

Last year I painted over Edith's tv trays with chalk paint and stenciled some pics on them with acrylic.  Now that I know about this napkin decoupage thing, I painted over them -- again with chalk paint -- and Modpodged some pieces of napkins on them.  I love how they turned out.

I did a lot of cutting out 

I used 2 complete napkins on this one.  They look like succulents on wood

so it makes the table look like planks of wood

I'd given Deanna next door one last year.  I reclaimed it this year and gave it a facelift for her.

This time I followed a tip from the fb page that suggested tearing the pictures off the napkin instead of cutting.  I like it better. And it helps to lightly wet the edges you're about to tear.

We had a clear vase from flowers Linda Sue gave us.  A little chalk paint before modpodging the napkin pieces makes it gift-ready

I saw the snowman idea on Pinterest.  I used glasses from loved ones, acrylic paints, sealed with Modpodge, and knitted scarves for them.

Not sure who will get this one -- right now I'm using it as my FB cover shot

Lacey got this one -- she's into succulents

BSF sign

At the end of BSF each year, the groups get together to talk about their takeaway from the year's lessons.  This year, due to the quarantine, we had to quit meeting in person in March.  Our leadership team is putting together an end-of-the year video for us since we can't meet. My Wed morning leader, Vicki, asked us to text her a pic of ourselves holding a sign finishing the sentence "God is...." using one word.  Since "essential" is one of the buzzwords of the quarantine, and we've been studying scripture in James about His essentialness, I went with that.  Now, the printing isn't great.  But I had some canvas, napkins, and Modpodge to make it fun otherwise.  The materials are inexpensive, but I can always paint or decoupage over it if I need it for something else.

My handcream gift jars are getting a new look -- they'll have to be hand washed, inside only.  I'll have to work on a tougher sealer.  Or I may end up removing it all and going back to the clear jars.  Seems more practical for handcream.

David saved  me a maple syrup jar

I think it's totally charming -- I'll top it with twine or faux pearls and a charm

I like how cans look, too. Will top it with ribbon and a charm.

I definitely got my $$ worth out of this little can of chalk paint that I got last year at Lowe's

I had about 5 more jars to paint.  Then Cranford and Kathey cleaned out a closet.  She generously gave me several wonderful mason jars.  Once I can get out and get fall napkins, I shall decorate these for the church.

In early May, some of the non-essential businesses got to open back up. As long as we can still keep our distance from each other.  The Owl's Nest flea market got to open up, so David and I headed over armed with our masks.  First stop was former coworker, Lisa Clark's booth.  I found these cute little jars in a crate. If you look closely, you can see they have unique lids with some something like a chickenwire tops.

Finished product

 I put a couple of coats of chalk paint on them a few days ago, then yesterday I did the napkin decoupaging.

I learned a new technique on Dainty Gifts youtube.  She has a video that is sure to make them wrinkle-free by wetting the napkin before applying.  She emphasizes that we should try it on something simple such as a coaster the first time.  Of course, I didn't.  And I should have. To me it's a more tedious method, but it sure looks great!  She mentioned 2 or 3 times in the video to be generous with the water, and I learned through the process that it does pay off. I used a bristle paintbrush to apply the water and smooth out the wrinkles, and I tended to use my fingers as well as the sponge brush to apply the Modpodge. With the napkin saturated in water, I did have to work more slowly and deal with a few more little tears --- which, again, can be patched easily.  And I still have some wrinkles, but much less noticeable.  Overall, this technique is more time consuming but I love how it works!

I saw the above pic on Facebook and sent it to my kids along with pics of some of the things I've been Modpodging.  Laura said she had to zoom in to be sure this wasn't really my kitchen!

Love how these taller mason jars from Cranford and Kathey turned out with Razorback napkins.  I"ll top them with twine and give them to guys as gifts.  I'll find something fun to fill them with such as pens and pencils or such.

Spruced up the little jars I made for the fellowship hall, (and made a few more) because we're planning a surprise party for a couple and these will make nice centerpieces.  Some have the napkins only modpodged and sealed, some are painted first with acrylic, modpodged and sealed. I added pearls, ribbon, twine, charms and flowers. I may end up keeping a couple!

These are the 2 I'll hang onto to gift.  Lacey made the pendant on the right out of a rock and wire.  This was our Thanksgiving craft one year at Bill/Pam's.  She gave me the pendant she made, so I may give her this jar.  She's my flower buddy.

Christmas 2021:

We're out of the pandemic scare for the most part, but I'm still doing this little craft.  Below are some Christmas jars I did for church, gifts, self.