Decoupage Purses

Spiff up an old vinyl handbag or a toy purse you’ve outgrown by covering it with scraps of paper and fabric. This technique is called “decoupage,” from the French word meaning “to cut up.”

1. Find an old purse with a smooth surface—vinyl or leather. Rub the surface of the purse with sandpaper.

2. Cover the outside of the purse with gesso (a white acrylic base paint available at art stores). Do one side at a time, letting each one dry.

3. Leave white, or add a coat of colored acrylic paint. When the purse is dry, put a generous layer of Mod Podge or another decoupage glue on the surface of the purse.

4. Add paper or fabric elements, and then put more glue medium on top. The extra glue helps your pieces stick to the purse, and also makes it more-or-less waterproof.

-------------------- Sample Projects

Decoupage Purses

Spiff up an old vinyl handbag or a toy purse you’ve outgrown by covering it with scraps of paper and fabric. This technique is called “decoupage,” from the French word meaning “to cut up.”

Designed by Hannah, Isabel, Lucy, and Eliot, ages 6–9

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Sample Projects