The Easiest Mod Podge You'll Ever Make
There was a time that Mod Podge took over my life. I'm sure a few of you out there will understand the struggle I'm referring to when I say that I was a decoupaging menace. I was Moding here and Podging there, every available trinket and flat surface was a menagerie of images I found in magazines and art books. Boxes covered in pages of the dictionary, chairs with floral blooms on their seats... I was a heavy handed, Mod Podge mess.
I got help when I realized how expensive my Podging habit had become. Those miracle pots of Podge were none too kind on my wallet as I whirled around like a decoupage Tazmanian Devil. I decided I was going to nip that spending habit in the bud right then and there. But the itch to decoupage was just too strong, and having sworn off the stuff, I was left trying to figure out how best to recreate the glue/sealer/finish combo at budget friendly price.
Lo and behold, the internet yields an abundance of information and recipes. If I've tried one, I've tried them all, and here is my tip top homemade DIY Mod Podge recipe.
Yep. That's it. Liquid glue and water. I like to mix it in a Mason jar so I can store leftovers for other projects. Most recipes you find on the internet say you should use a 50/50 ratio. I haven't had the most success with that. I like using slightly less water than there is glue, so the consistency isn't so runny, and it's a lot more like real Mod Podge. It tends to do better when Podging things that are larger or thicker like fabric or photos.
In my Podging experiments, I found no discernible difference between Elmer's glue and Dollar Tree liquid glue, so be as budget savvy as you want to. The stronger the formula of liquid glue you use, the stronger and more durable your Podge will be. I wouldn't recommend using specialty glues like wood glue and definitely not super glue. If you're worried about the white school glue drying colourlessly, you can get clear liquid glue and use that with the same rate of success for guaranteed whitest whites.
Want a glossy finish instead of matte? Add a tablespoon of acrylic gloss medium (affiliate link)or a water based gloss polycrylic protective finish (affiliate link). Adding two tablespoons or so of any luster polycrylic protective finish will make your Podge outdoor compatible, so you can decoupage your heart out on your backyard and garden pieces!
Now gather your supplies, shake 'em up, and get Podging!
