Mod Podge

There's nothing like Mod Podge.  Just the sight of the funky 70s font on the label makes me swoon.  I'm an art teacher and a mom of a seven year old girl who could make 'projects' out of all the cardboard in our recycling bin til the cows come home...and there's just nothing like Mod Podge.  It's a glue.  It's a glaze.  It's one of the only art supplies you need.  I've heard they make an 'outdoor Mod Podge' now and I'm salivating at the thought of collaging things to our fence, to our mailbox, to our Adirondack chairs.  Paper Mache, newspaper collage, tissue paper collage (I'm partial to the 'non-bleeding' type of tissue paper for really crisp designs), turning an old cigar box into a jewelry box, turning a 99c store picture frame into something great.  Add extra fabric, buttons, and some crisp Sharpie outlines to a painted box and you've got a robot.  I could go on and on.  I used to prefer the glossy variety (pictured above) since it was kind of magical to see shiny construction paper, but now I'm partial to the matte version.  It's non-toxic but very strong-smelling so it has to be used in a well-ventilated area.  Warning:  when you do your final topcoat, you'll think you've ruined your piece since it's a very thick opaque white, but it really does always dry perfectly clear, and gives most surfaces a really durable almost waterproof finish.  Also, wash your brushes thoroughly after using it, since it'll turn everything to plastic if it hardens in the bristles.  Take it from an art-teacher/mom-of-a-found-object-fiend, this stuff rocks.

RL