Mod Podge!

I am working on my current project that I hope to post soon!  I am using Mod Podge and wondered who invented the stuff.   Maybe you knew already but if not here is what I found out on the wonderful web!    It was a easy search and a great story! 

Elaine

The inventor of Mod Podge®, Jan Wetstone, first developed Mod Podge® in the 1960s in her garage. The name of this now-famous mixture came from the term "Modern Decoupage." She tested it on all kinds of surfaces; she even decoupaged a Volkswagen Beetle using bed sheets! At the time, Ms. Wetstone owned an interior design shop in Atlanta. Decoupage was all the rage, but extremely time consuming. It was a tedious task to brush on layer upon layer of varnish, sanding between each coat. Ms. Wetstone "did some experimenting" in the back room of her shop and Mod Podge was born.

After sharing some of her Mod Podge- coated prints in her shop, her customers demanded that she share her decoupage secret--and the rest is history. She began offering Mod Podge kits in her shop and they were a huge success. The product was such a hit that a major Atlanta department store purchased exclusive rights to her kits.

In 1967, Mod Podge received recognition as one of four best items in the Housewares Show in Chicago, at the time, the largest show of its kind. Eventually Mod Podge was sold to Enterprise Paints and then went through a variety of owners. In 1979, Mod Podge found a permanent home with Plaid Enterprises.

Great Place To Visit :      Mod Podge Rocks

Rug Kits

Kits can be a wonderful thing! I was packing for our camping adventure and wanted to take my next project with me. My only problem was that I really didn't want to bring my cutter. Packing two kids, one dog and me left no time for extra cutting and planning my next project! So looking deep into my closet I found a great surprise! Sometime ago I had purchased a precut kit from Mad Hen Primitives! I had already stored my kit in a small picnic basket and it was ready to go. All I needed was my hook and frame. I have done one other kit in my life and normally I would have planned and been more prepared but sometimes life just gets in the way! I did a search on kits and thought that I would share with you the places I visited.  I found lots of beginner kits and this is wonderful for a beginner but I was looking for something that would knock my socks off!  Kits can be on the pricey side but you do need to consider the work put into the kit and size of rug.  The other consideration is you don't have to decide on color planning or worry if you have time to cut wool and no dying to get that perfect color!  I really do love designing and planning my rugs but I can not begin to tell you how happy I was in finding this kit!  Maybe next time I will plan, cut and have another project ready to go in the picnic basket.....for that just in case moment!    Check out the webs and see what I found and enjoy!   Elaine

ps  I found another great web with kits and have added it to the list!   I love Holly Hill Designs.  I just dyed my wool for the Crazy Horse Tote.   If you know of any other webs with great kits we would love to hear about them!

The Merry Hooker
Winter Berry Cabin
Payton Primitives
Mad Hen Primitives
Holly Hill Designs

Finishing Touches!

"Meow"     Designed by Elaine Fink.        Hand Torn.

Folded Back

My favorite part of making a rug is the binding!   It is the finishing part that I love.  The knowing I have completed another project. I love using wool for my binding and used this method for my rug.  I decided it would be nice to see what other options were out on the market.   I always sew onto the binding my information such as: the name of the rug,  who it was designed by or a story about the rug.   This time I am going to try something different and thought that I would share with you.   I found a great web called Three Hollys Rug Hooking and they make fabric labels for the back of your rugs.  They have single color labels available in 2 sizes, 15 border designs, your choice of 12 colors and most any font you could want!  Labels are printed on white treated 100% cotton fabric and the edges are satin stitched.  For an extra dollar you can even have the option of tea stained label.  So instead of my trusty sewing machine I am going to order a label for this rug!   I also did a search on binding tape.   I seemed to have a difficult time getting my wool binding to work with me on this particular  rug and  I am not sure if it was just too thick of a wool!   The company I found has cotton binding in lightweight and heavyweight and in two different sizes. The best part about this is they print information on the binding for you.   I might give this a try in the near future!  Look at TwillTape.Com and see what they have to offer.   I was very excited about this and will try using it on my next rug design.  
Happy Binding!   Elaine

Three Hollys Rug Hooking

Twill  Tape