Since discovering the crafting technique decoupage I have become obsessed with decoupaging anything I can. I am still amazed at the fact a simple recipe of PVA Glue and water can help you turn a plain or worn out item into a unique decorative item.
As I have previously mentioned I have had no luck so far with any Etsy product sales and I began researching other potential product ideas to increase the product range available from Nels Crafty Goods.
I can’t remember where I saw the idea first to decoupage a coat hook rail and to be honest as I did not think I had one to hand I never paid it much thought other than it was a good potential product.
A few days later, as usual when I was doing something completely different, I came across an unopened wooden coat hook rack I had completely forgotten about.
I purchased 2 of them from my local home discount store a few years ago with the intention of using them in my hall cupboard.
After attaching the first one to the wall it wasn’t long before we realised they were not very good quality and it had come off the wall within a few weeks. We used it for Alex’s jackets which although small were heavy due to the lovely weather we are used to in Scotland 😊
What should I do with it?
I decided to upcycle the coat hook rack using text and images from “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” annual. Being part of a very popular movie trilogy by Peter Jackson I chose this theme as I thought it would make an ideal gift for a fan particularly males, who seem to be harder to find unique personalised gifts for. As the hooks on the coat rack are quite flimsy I thought it would also be ideal for hanging ties or belts on.
After using my usual DIY Chalk Paint, which consists of paint of choice and talcum powder, to apply 2 coats of paint to the wooden rail I then used DIY Decoupage Glue to attach sections of a “Middle Earth” map to the front and edges of the wood.
For the decoupage technique to be effective you need to ensure that all edges are sealed down before applying the full coat layers of decoupage glue, this helps ensure the glue also acts as a sealant. The edges of the rack were the trickiest to seal but overall, I found the map seemed to adhere to the wood extremely well.
Once I had all the map edges sealed I then added text and images from the annual including the title The Unexpected Journey and images of both Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf.
Applying several coats of decoupage glue should be enough to provide protection to an item and applying varnish is not required. To reduce the number of coats and for just a little extra security I like to finish my decoupage products with a coat or 2 of acrylic gloss varnish.
Problems I encountered
I noticed after applying the varnish to the coat rack that it has given a slightly cloudy appearance and I think this may be because it was the last of the bottle. I thought it added to the look of the coat rack and fitted with The Hobbit theme, so no harm was done.
I also didn’t take into consideration the position that the hooks would be once re-attached when I was adding the text to the wooden rail and didn’t notice until I was organising the pictures for listing that the “The” from the title had been covered.
Ok I confess I have never actually watched any of “The Hobbit” movies as I still don’t think I have made it through a full “Lord of the Rings yet 😊
I had assumed the title started with “The” but now I know it starts with “An” I think it was maybe a good thing to have covered the “The”. What is not so good however is the fact I now have to apply another several coats of decoupage glue to ensure it seals properly ☹
The “An” will also be a different colour from the rest of the title as the other text has already had several coats applied but this is one of the things I love about handmade items as it ensures you have a unique, one-off piece.
I can’t wait until the rail is dry and ready to list as when visiting my grandparents at the weekend I was discussing my disappointment at the flimsiness of the hooks when my Papa disappeared and came back with a very sturdy coat hook rack that I am excited to get started with.
Just need to think of a theme now 💭
Interested in learning how to decoupage? Check out the tutorials that have helped me learn including how to make your own chalk paint and decoupage glue.
Click on the link to go to my Decoupage YouTube Playlist
Click on the link to go to my Decoupage Pinterest Board
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