Trial and Error

I got some valuable crafting time in yesterday while the baby was napping.  Total haul for the day was:

4 monopoly notebooks (2 property deeds and 2 community chests)

1 scrabble notebook made from the actual board to the game

12 paint chip notebooks

1 complete set of tile coasters made from an old Disney children’s book

2 light switch covers made from a Disney Princess book.

Lost causes:

1 light switch cover

1 set of Winnie the Pooh tile coasters

Like so many things in life I have found crafting to be very much an exercise in trial and error (and boy did I err.)  I learned a few valuable lessons in the process.  Do not apply crystal clear spray paint to a paper product that hasn’t first had a layer of mod podge.  The moisture from the initial coating allows for the back design of the paper to bleed straight through, which is fine if you’re using store bought scrapbook paper with a plain white back, but not ideal when your medium is colorful pages from children’s books.  Lesson learned: mod podge first, clear coat second.  Hence the lost cause of my Little Mermaid light switch cover (the poor thing had King Tritons trident going right through her head due to the back page bleeding through!)

Speaking of mod podging first, allow me to elaborate.  If you only mod podge the pack of the paper and whatever your affixing it to it looks just fine.  If you mod podge the back and then clear coat mod podge the top for a clear coating you can work out any air bubbles that may occur from mod podging, and again the result looks just fine.  IF you mod podge, allow to fully dry, then LATER go back to clear coat the top you will get tons of air pockets.  These air pockets are unsightly and near impossible to get rid of short of soaking the paper which risks tearing along with paper discoloration.  A lot of work and risk for something I learned can be easily avoided.  Hence the lost set of what would have been adorable Winnie the Pooh tile coasters.  Winnie the Pooh had too many air bubbles to survive the operation.