DIY Network

Napkin Art From "Ask DIY" episode ADI-205

Q: I found some great napkins that I want to use as artwork. Does Debbie have any ideas on how I can display them?

A: (Debbie Stapely, Ask DIY Crafts Expert) You can use napkins and small canvases to create works of art that look like you purchased them at a fabulous boutique -- but are much less expensive! Here's what you do:

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	Mix art styles from several designer napkins to create this striking mini canvas.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Materials:

Designer paper napkins
Small prestretched canvas
Scissors
Decoupage medium
Very soft brush

1. Buy some designer napkins (figure A). Don't worry too much about matching the themes on the napkins. Instead, look for colors that work well together. I've even combined a space-age theme, a French scene and an ordinary black-and-white check because the colors will create the look I want.

2. Purchase a prestretched canvas at a craft store to use as a form for the napkin art. The small size should cost about $5.

3. Choose which napkin pattern you'd like for the background of the artwork. Turn the napkin upside down and center the canvas, face down, on top of it (figure B).

4. Cut out the corners of the napkin with scissors so that you can fold the napkin neatly up on the sides of the canvas.

5. Peel off all but the top ply of the napkin, and then attach it to the front and sides of the canvas with decoupage medium such as Mod Podge® (figure C). Use a very soft brush to apply the glue. Apply the medium to the canvas, center the napkin on the canvas and press the two together. You'll be able to see the texture of the canvas through the napkin as well as some other wrinkles and crackles.

6. Cut a pattern from another napkin and center it on the background. Attach it (top ply only) to the background with decoupage medium the same way you did the first napkin.

7. Apply three coats of decoupage medium on top of both napkins, covering the entire piece of art and letting it dry completely between coats.

8. If you like, make coordinating pieces with same-size or larger canvases. Display them side-by-side in groups of three, six, nine -- the possibilities are endless.

More Questions for Debbie:

Q: I want to decorate switchplates. Can I use decoupage medium, or is it a fire hazard?

A: You can use decoupage medium on the plates. If the plates are hot when the lights are on, though, you should check with an electrician to see whether you have an electrical problem.

Q: I just got a stencil. What type of equipment and paint do I use for textured walls?

A: It really doesn't matter that the walls are textured. You can use latex wall paint or acrylic paint and be in good shape.

Q: I want to get started in ceramics. Where can I get instructions plus a list of supplies I'll need?

A: I would suggest you start out with a class. Contact your local craft store or even a city college and see whether there's something available. They'll know, too, where to get supplies. If there's nothing like that in your area, I would suggest you search the Web under "ceramics" or "ceramic supply."

Web site resources for Napkin Art:

Folded Napkins from HGTV.com

Dinner Napkin Decorating from HGTV.Com

Books:

Folding Napkins
By Gay Merrill Gross
ISBN: 156799024X
Michael Friedman Pub. Co. (1993)
15 W. 20th St.
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-685-6610
Fax: 212-685-1307
Web site: www.metrobooks.com

Folding Table Napkins: A New Look at a Traditional Craft
By Susan Dlugosch
ISBN: 0918420326
Brighton Publishing Inc. (1998)
P.O. Box 120706
St. Paul, MN 55112-0706
Phone: 612-636-2230
Fax: 612-636-2220