Mod Podge Memories
I discovered “mod podging” (or deco podge) in college. Maybe we were weird (I prefer to think we were trendsetters), but my friends and I would mod podge whatever we could get our hands on – frames, boxes, photo albums – you name it. It was an inexpensive but sentimental gift. I ran across this beauty the other day…
I made this for my husband, but we were “friends” at the time. Explains the collage of people in the frame instead of a picture of just us. It’s pretty cheesy, but it was sweet (I think?) at the time. I was excited to revisit my mod podging days, and I got this idea off of Pinterest. Using photos, paint, mod podge, and unfinished wooden plaques (found at Hobby Lobby or Michaels for only a few dollars), you can create wall art. 
I painted the plaques using three different but similar neutral colors (a beige-ish, greenish and grayish neutral) and let them dry. I then distressed them by sanding them and added a light drybrush of another color. Finally, I cut my photos and glued them on with a mod podge. Mod podge is really easy to use – you just brush it on! After you have the photos glued in place, you can mod podge the entire plaque – just brush right over the photo. I did a couple of layers on each plaque and let it dry. Mod podge looks white when wet, but it will dry clear and become shellac.
It’s an inexpensive and unique way to display some of your favorite photos.
What Mod Podge memories are you going to create?
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Do you paint the wood before the mod podge?
Definitely! Paint and distress (if you want to distress) the wood before you add the photo and mod podge.
Doing this when we move. 🙂 I’m picturing this collage in the girls’ bedroom with some fun, girly colors!
Any tips on cutting the photos to fit so perfectly?
Hi Danielle! I traced the shape of the plaque on my photo and then cut inside the shape. It’s much easier on the square photos because you can use a ruler, but the round plaques required a lot of eyeballing. They’re not perfect, but I just pretend like it adds to the charm. 😉
Thanks! I think I’m gonna make these this weekend! Awesome!!!
Hi, love your tips, thank you!!!! On the wood plaques, you said you applied three different paints. Not sure I understand well…..You painted the entire wood one color and then covered it again in another? and then another?
Also, with the chalk paint I am thinking about painting a hutch in chalk paint yellow. I want it to look distressed with a darkness underneath. So I paint it yellow, then clear wax, then sand to see the wood in spots and then dark wax?
Thank you so much!
Jenny
Hi Jenny! Thanks for your comment! It’s been a while, but on the wood plaques I used three different colors. Some are a green, some are tan, and some are a cream – although they all look the same in the photo. I added a different color (on the cream I used the tan, etc.) around the edges of the plaques and then I distressed them.
For the yellow hutch (assuming it’s dark wood underneath like mine), I would suggest painting the hutch yellow and using a clear wax. I would sand the wood along the edges/details. This will allow the dark wood to shine through. I wouldn’t mess with the dark wax. It’s a little trickier, and much less forgiving on lighter colors like yellow. I really think you can achieve the look you want without it. I hope I helped. Good luck with your projects!!