Hello everyone! Welcome to my latest arts and crafts project, a stunning Green Crackled Decoupage & Plaster Panel. This piece blends various techniques and products, resulting in an eye-catching piece of decor while also providing a delightful crafting experience. Join me as I take you through each step, sharing tips and tricks along the way.
Step 1: Posh Chalk Crackling Gel & Paste Application
To kick off, I wanted a solid foundation that would enhance the final look. I began with a canvas that I had already coated with a deep, rich black paint. After ensuring the black paint was completely dry, it was time to introduce the Posh Chalk Crackling Gel.
With my Posh Chalk Smooth & Blend Brush, I began spreading it across the canvas. I made sure to apply it evenly, taking time to cover the entire surface. The key is to apply a consistent layer – too thick can lead to uneven crackling, while too thin may not crack at all.
While my crackling gel was drying, I prepared for the next step – the crackling paste. I took an empty tub and decanted a generous amount of Posh Chalk Crackling Paste into it. Since I wanted a beautiful, opaque finish when the paste dried, I added in some Posh Chalk Arctic White Colour Kick.
I stirred the Crackling Paste and Colour Kick together, ensuring the colour was mixed thoroughly. It’s essential to note that if you skip this step and apply the crackling paste without adding any kind of pigment, the result would have a translucent finish that wouldn’t deliver the visual effects I wanted. Once the mixture was fully combined, I grabbed my Posh Chalk Premium Finishing Trowel and began spreading the coloured crackling paste across the surface. I chose to apply it somewhat unevenly, creating variations in the thickness and thereby adding texture. This uneven application helps create an aged appearance.
Once satisfied with the texture, I force-dried the freshly applied Crackling Paste with my heat gun. This allowed me to dry the paste quickly and I could see the beautiful cracks forming, making the process feel like magic. It was thrilling to see my project start to take shape!
Step 2: Posh Chalk Decoupage Paper Application
Now, on to one of my favourite products to use – decoupage! I decided to use Posh Chalk Abstract Trellis Decoupage Paper to add character to my project. However, I wanted to create an aged look, so instead of cutting the paper with scissors, I reached for a water pen. Tearing the paper gave it soft, irregular edges, helping it blend seamlessly into the rest of my design.
With a few randomly shaped pieces ready, I applied Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor using the Smooth & Blend Brush onto the areas of the canvas where I planned to place decoupage. This step is crucial – the Infusor acts as an adhesive for the decoupage paper. Also, my white coloured Crackling Paste backdrop will really make the decoupage’s colours pop.
After smoothing the decoupage paper onto the canvas, I applied a thicker coat of Infusor on top to secure everything in place. I intentionally let some edges hang off the canvas – once everything was smoothed down and had been force dried, I used sandpaper to carefully remove the excess, overhanging paper, resulting in a clean finish.
Step 3: Posh Chalk Metallic Paste Application
With the decoupage complete, it was time to add layers via stencilling. For this, I chose Posh Chalk Dark Green Metallic Paste, which would complement the green tones of my project wonderfully. Upon opening the tub, I noticed the paste had dried up slightly from disuse. To rescue it, I added a few drops of Posh Chalk Paste Lubricant and stirred until I restored a creamy consistency.
I carefully placed the Posh Chalk Hollywood & Vine Stencil onto the canvas, making sure it was aligned as intended. Using a Posh Chalk Finishing Trowel, I spread the dark green metallic paste over the stencil. This step was incredibly satisfying, as the paste glided smoothly across the stencil, leaving behind a crisp, defined pattern. I repeated this process a few times across the canvas until I was happy with the coverage.
The highlight of the stencilling step was watching the paste puff up as I force-dried it with a heat gun. The metallic paste creates a bubble-like texture when heated in this way. After all my stencilling had puffed up, I pressed it down gently with the Finishing Trowel to create a unique flattened texture, allowing the design to remain interesting without overwhelming the eye.
To unify my arts and crafts project, I applied a wash over the entire canvas using the same Dark Green Paste from earlier. First, I spritzed the surface lightly with water, preparing it for the application. Using the Posh Chalk Wax Extender Brush, I applied a small amount of paste in key areas before using the same brush to spread it across the damp surface. This wash added depth and gave the entire piece a subtle green hue that harmonised with the various elements I had added.
Next, I prepared my trim (TR805) by heating it until became malleable. I applied WoodUglue to the top and bottom of the canvas, covering more area than the trim itself would occupy to avoid any parts not successfully adhering. Keeping the trim in a roll retained its heat, making it easier to lay down seamlessly. Once the trim was in place, I cut it to match the width of my canvas, then repeated this for the the other end of the canvas.
To keep the look cohesive, I painted the trim sections in the same Dark Green Metallic Paste. This step helped tie together the various layers and colours in the piece. After applying the colour, I heated the trim sections in situ to both dry the paste and secure it in position, before finally pressing them down firmly to ensure a solid bond.
Step 4: Posh Chalk Athenian Plaster Application
The next phase involved stencilling with Athenian Plaster to layer in additional texture. I centred the Posh Chalk Dainty Trellis Stencil on the canvas and spread the uncoloured Athenian Plaster across the surface evenly. As it dried, it became slightly translucent and faded, allowing the vibrant colours beneath to peek through – adding a vintage touch.
To create even more texture, I decanted some of the Athenian Plaster into a separate container to mix in Posh Chalk Arctic White Colour Kick. I used a sea sponge to apply this coloured mixture, dabbing it onto the surface with varying intensities. The sponge’s naturally textured surface resulted in a unique, raised consistency, contributing to the layered effect I wanted. After application, I took a finishing trowel to flatten and smooth the Athenian Plaster while preserving some of its interesting texture.
Once the coloured plaster was dry, it was time for the fun part – polishing! Using a belt sander, I gradually worked my way up through sandpaper grades. This technique allowed me to bring out a glossy, mirror-like shine in the plaster. Between each sanding pass, I brushed off any accumulated dust to ensure a flawless finish.
Step 5: Final Touches
To complete the project’s look, I wanted to use Posh Chalk Patinas to create intricate shading and highlights. I began by applying Posh Chalk Black Patina along the edges of the trim and also added subtle strokes in the center of the canvas. This created depth and dimension, drawing attention to the finer details of the work.
Then, I added a touch of Posh Chalk Primary Green Aqua Patina and Posh Chalk Byzantine Gold Patina to certain areas of the trim to create highlights and catch the viewer’s eye. These vibrant colours worked beautifully together, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the piece.
To finish everything off, I applied a coat of Posh Chalk Patina Extending Wax over the entire piece. This layer not only helped blend all the patinas together but also provided a protective seal, ensuring the integrity of the artwork.
I noticed, however, that the shading wasn’t as pronounced as I’d hoped. So I went back with a few dabs of Posh Chalk Dark Brown Patina in certain spots, to increase the depth. After finishing the wax application, I took a paper towel and wiped off any excess wax – and everything came together beautifully!
Conclusion:
And there you have it – my arts and crafts project was complete! The journey took creativity, patience, and care with textures, culminating in a piece resembling an old decorated wall, complete with layers that appear to be peeling away. I’m really proud of the final product, which captures everything I aimed for – a rich, aged look with depth and intrigue.
If you’ve enjoyed following along with this project as much as I loved creating it, please let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear if this post inspired you to start a project of your own. Thank you for joining me in this creative adventure, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and keep an eye out for new project videos every week. Until next time, happy crafting!
Products Used:
- Posh Chalk Crackling Gel
- Posh Chalk Crackling Paste
- Posh Chalk Smooth & Blend Brush
- Posh Chalk Wax Extender Brush
- Posh Chalk Athenian Plaster
- Posh Chalk Arctic White Colour Kick
- Posh Chalk Dark Green Metallic Paste
- Posh Chalk Patina Extending Wax
- Posh Chalk Black Patina
- Posh Chalk Dark Brown Patina
- Posh Chalk Primary Green Aqua Patina
- Posh Chalk Byzantine Gold Patina
- Posh Chalk Abstract Trellis Decoupage
- Posh Chalk Dainty Trellis Stencil
- Posh Chalk Hollywood & Vine Stencil
- Posh Chalk Premium Finishing Trowel
- Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor
- Posh Chalk Paste Lubricant
- TR805
- WoodUglue
If you’d like to see the creative transformation project in video format, it will be live on our YouTube Channel Wednesday 21st August at 8pm BST.
P.S If my blogs do inspire you, and you get round to trying some of these techniques and products, I would love to see them in the Creations community we have. There are over 25,000 members who post daily. You’ll also find lots of creators in there who have posted some wonderful projects. It’s an inspiring group with lots going on. You can join here, and best of all it’s free!
You can find all these products, except for Magic Paint, on our website https://woodubend.com/shop/
To watch the whole crafting process above, click on the links below:
Let’s stay in touch!
You can share your creative transformation creations with our amazing community here.
You can watch our projects live here. We are live daily!
Find more inspiration on our Instagram.
Watch mini-series of projects on our TikTok.
Buy finished projects on our Etsy.
