by Guest Blogger Victoria Silva, Decoupage Gal
Celebrate your life with the grace and beauty of timeless tradition!
I have always loved handcrafting things… and am a self-taught artist. My inspiration has always come from many sources… nature…books…magazines… and from slowly browsing antique stores and flea market shops.
There is something about old and worn items that I find comforting to my soul. It’s like somehow, when I pick up an item from years gone by, it tells me its history and personal story. And I wonder who this beautiful piece belonged to.
Over the years I have viewed and fallen in love many time-worn lacquered boxes…the tops or sides covered with images or pictures. I love the timeless elegance and faded beauty of this form of art and the craftsmanship.
I longed to purchase at least one of these boxes to grace a table in my living room. However, the high price of lacquered boxes set my practical and inquisitive mind churning about how I could create this beautiful art myself on a shoestring budget.
I visited my local book store and found books on decoupage. I was surprised to learn that decoupage is an art that is over 300 years old. Decoupage originated in Venice, Italy by craftsmen wanting to capture and mimic the lacquered furniture and screens found in China.
As luck would have it, I also found an article in a magazine featuring a man who, like me, fell in love with decoupage. He taught himself the technique and is now quite famous for his decoupage pieces.
In the beginning I, of course, made mistakes with my new passion. But, through trial and error, I developed my skill and mastery of decoupage. I now make decoupage trays, bottles, jars and metal objects graced by decoupage. I have plans to venture into the venue of large screens…made elegant by decoupage.
I encourage you to try this lovely art form.Here are some hints:
- Purchase books to show you how easy this can be.
- Take your time to learn how to apply your images…and the decoupage material.
- Always use good quality brushes.
- Copy your images on thin paper.
- Use a dry flat paintbrush or your finger to brush out air bubbles…as air bubbles will mar the surface of your print or image.
- Keep your pieces out of dusty areas when you are in the process of creating your pieces.
- Most of all….have fun!
Editor’s note: I use Mod Podge which is formulated specifically for Decoupage.
Victoria Silva’s is a conservator of Feminine Tradition and feels her purpose is to keep this essential heritage alive. She brings this to you by facilitating Celebrations, Rites Of Passage, and Feminine Traditions. Victoria offers you a way to connect with your inner feminine spirit through her popular on-line study courses, and self-sustaining classes like hand-blending your own essential oils and how to make your own organic bath products. As an artist and the owner of Feminine Chic Boutique, she hand-crafts all of the products offered in her store. Victoria is a member of the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia “Dreamers Into Doers” Network.
Find Victoria here:
Feminine Living
Victoria Silva
Feminine Chic Boutique
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