A Short History on Modern Decoupage

As you may have noticed the word Mod Podge® gets mentioned many many times on our blog.  I think that some explanation is in order of what it is and also where it originated from. 

Mod Podge® is an awesome tool to use in crafting.  It is an adhesive that will dry clear and holds your crafts together without making too much of a mess.  Sorry girls, I know that we always say Modge Podge, but looks like it is really "Mod Podge."

The name Mod Podge® originated from Modern Decoupage.  It was invented by an interior designer in the 1960's by the name of Jan Wetstone.  At that time, the art of Decoupage was extremely popular.  By definition, decoupage means: 

decoupage, découpage

1. the art or technique of cutting out pictures or designs from paper or other material and applying them to a surface.
2. the work produced.

Decoupage has a rich history in art and has been used all over in history from the far east as window decorations, to Europe as furniture decorations.  The process, however was very time consuming because multiple layers of varnish had to be used and the surface sanded after each application.

Jan Wetstone searched to find a better, faster alternative to this process and Mod Podge®was born.  She would experiment with her new formula on a plethora of surfaces, including using it to decoupe a Volkswagon Beetle!

Customers would come into Jan's shop and inquire about her new method.  It became so popular that her recipie was purchased by a major department store and marketed.  In 1967, Mod Podge® became one of the four best items in a housewares show in Chicago.  Today, Mod Podge® is owned and sold by Plaid Enterprises. 

I know that I love to Mod Podge and I think that the Professor loves it too!  I had noticed that in one of our hallways, the wallpaper was starting to peel a bit, and I had marked it on a to-do list to fix it.  The next day, I come home and find an empty chair next to the wall where the peeling had started and it had been fixed!  I was curious as to what the Professor had used to fix our minor problem, and he replied "Why, I just used your crafting glue!"  He is so sweet.  I couldn't even tell that it had been Mod Podge® that had fixed my wall and it looks as good as new.

Thank you to Mar and J for their great ideas on using Mod Podge to make gifts for others.  One of my co-workers is expecting and I made a cute little baby box following Mar's instruction HERE.  

 

Volkswagen and Mod Podge photos and information courtesy of http://www.plaidonline.com/