Mod Podge Book Covers

I love covering books with Mod Podge and tissue paper. It's a great effect and there's just so much you can with it. Here I will show you the basic instructions, then I'll give you some variations. I hope you enjoy.

See some Embellishment and Variation ideas at the bottom.

Book samples: click on sample number to see details

Supplies:

book to cover (I've only tried the Mod Podge technique on the book covers I provide (www.stampinart.com/shopping/books.html). I'm sure it will work on others, but they must be sturdy enough and have some coating so the Mod Podge won't soak in and stay soggy. Please experiment with your board before attempting an entire project.
Mod Podge
foam brush - 1" width
hole punch (same size as the hole already in the cover you're working with)
tissue paper, white or colored, plain or patterned
cardstock, for inside of cover
stamp(s)
ink

Step 1:

Cut the tissue paper approx 1" larger than your cover (so if your cover is 3"x3", cut your tissue paper approx 5"x5").

Step 2:

Stamp the tissue paper with your images.


You can stamp with dye ink, pigment ink, or StazOn ink. You can even color with pastels or watercolors (very carefully). Don't worry about creases in the tissue paper. They will disappear when you apply the paper to the wet mod podge.

Step 3: Optional

If you're using white paper, you can add ink to the board itself to give it a colored background. You can use any kind of ink for this, but you'll get different results. Provided your board is coated and slightly glossy, inks won't dry right away. Dye ink will bleed a little bit when you apply the Mod Podge (if you do it right away). Pigment ink can be blended a little bit to give a random color look or you can blend it completely to give a consistent color. I like to use Color Box Petal Points as you can remove each color and stamp right on the cover easily.

pigment ink

Step 4:

Apply the Mod Podge to the cover. You want this to be a thick coat so the paper will adhere completely. The ink will smear as you paint on the Mod Podge. You can paint in on carefully or purposely blend it with the ink.


pigment ink


no ink

Step 5:

Quickly lay the tissue paper on top of the wet Mod Podge, trying to center it. You can lie it down smoothly to get a smooth finish or purposely cause wrinkles to give a rough look. This is my favorite. Press the paper completely into the Mod Podge, even if you've laid it down wrinkled. You don't want any air bubbles underneath it.



You want to be sure to get any bubbles like this out now. Once the Mod Podge dries you won't be able to flatten them out. Watch for the very small bubbles too. This example is an exageration to show what the bubbles look like.

Step 6:

Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge on top of the tissue paper, just to the edges of the cover. Let it dry. This takes a half an hour to an hour for this coat as the first coat was so thick. The board may curl a bit at the ends, but have no fear, it will flatten out as it dries.
Note: I suggest working on a small, washable mat. Whatever you work on must be washable, NOT PAPER. The Mod Podge will stick to everything. If you work on paper, it will become attached to your cover. Count on it. A removable mat (like the small quilting mats) is easy to put in the sink to get the Mod Podge off. I did many of these on my kitchen counter before pulling out that mat and it dries so quickly it's really hard to keep it clean.

Step 7:

Turn the cover face down on your work surface (that mat). Bend each corner in and adhere with a generous coat of Mod Podge. Use your fingers to smooth the paper out. This also ensures the paper is firmly attached. Once the paper gets wet in the Mod Podge it is fragile, so smooth it gently.




This fold is not close enough to the corner.	The fold should be right up to the corner, like this.

Apply plenty of Mod Podge.	Fold tissue paper over and press into the Mod Podge. Smooth carefully.

Step 8:

After all 4 corners are turned in, do each side. Fold the edges in tightly. Tissue paper is so light, if you don't fold the edges tight you can get some of that tissue paper, soaked in Mod Podge, hanging over the edge. This doesn't provide you with a clean edge. Let this dry.


Apply plenty of Mod Podge.	Fold tissue paper over.

Repeat until all sides are folded under.

Step 9:

Using the appropriate size hole punch (most likely 1/8"), repunch the holes through the tissue paper layer. If the holes are hard to see, punch the easiest two, then lie the back cover over the front cover, lining up the holes. This gives you a template so you can see where to punch the remaining holes. This way is faster, easier, and more precise.


If the cover is transparent you can still see the holes to repunch them.

If you can't see the holes well, try to punch two holes then place the back cover over the front, aligning those two holes. Now you can use the back cover as a template so you can see where the remaining holes should be.

Step 10:

Cut a piece of cardstock just a bit smaller than the size of your cover. You don't want to see the cardstock from the front if you get it off-centered a little bit. Punch the holes in the cardstock, using the cover as a template.


Cut the cardstock to line the front cover.	Use the cover as a template to cut the holes in the cardstock.

Step 11:

Lie the cardstock on the back side of the cover, aligning the holes. Some times one way fits better than the other so flip it over and find the best fit. Set the cardstock aside.

Step 12:

Apply a generous coat of Mod Podge to the backside of the cover. Lie the cardstock over it; center it. Run your fingers over the cardstock in the center, top to bottom, then each side. You want to be sure it is pressed down very well and there are no bubbles. Bubbles will turn to puckers as it dries and you'll have no way to flatten them back out. Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge on top of the cardstock (this is optional but it does make the cover a bit more durable and you don't have to worry about getting any Mod Podge on the right side of the cardstock if you're going to coat it anyway). Let this coat dry.


Apply a generous coat of Mod Podge.	Smooth the cardstock over the backside of the cover. Be sure that there are no bubbles.

Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge over the inside immediately after fastening the cardstock to the cover.

Step 14:

At this point you can add embellishments to the cover. See embellisments below. If you chose not to add anything else, apply another thin coat of Mod Podge to the front and let it dry. You're done!

Embellishments:

There are so many things you can add at this point in time.

1. You can apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the entire cover or a specific area, then sprinkly on some glitter.

2. You can stamp an image on a piece of cardstock then attach it with Mod Podge (use a generaous coat between the cover and the cardstock). Be sure to apply one or two coats on top of the cardstock piece to be sure it's edges are well attached. You can color this image just about any way you normally would. So far I've tried, pastels, watercolors, and ink. No smearing if you let it dry completely before attaching.

Samples: 233, 234, 235, 290, 297, 298, 299 (click on the sample number to the left to see the images)

3. You can stamp on vellum and attach it as in embellisment 2 above.

Sample: 239 (click on the sample number to the left to see the image)

4. You can punch out shapes and attach them as in embellisments 2 above (you can even add eyelets).

5. Send me your other ideas for embellishments.

Cover Variations:

Oh, there's just so much you can do with these covers. Here are a few ideas.

1. You can emboss the covers although I'd be very careful. It may crack and fall off over time if you get it very thick. If you do a light coat though it results in a water drop effect. Use an embossing pad or Versa Mark pad, coat the cover with the ink, then apply clear (most likely, you don't want to cover up your previous work) embossing powder and heat. Repeat until you get the coverage and effect you are looking for.

2. You can also cover the books with scrapbooking paper or wrapping paper. Presto, one coat and you're done. This paper is stiffer than tissue paper so it's a bit trickier to work with. Tissue paper is generally fairly transparent so you can see where the holes are. Papers are not. Repunch the holes BEFORE you turn the edges to the backside, so you can still see where the holes are. Be sure to turn the edges to the backside carefully then repunch the holes once again.

Samples

3. You can paint the cover with acrylic paint and apply tissue paper to that (instead of using Mod Podge). Then apply Mod Podge on top of the tissue paper.

4. You can paint the cover and don't use tissue paper. You can stamp on top of the painted (dry) surface with StazOn inks.

5. You can stamp on the cover and on the tissue paper. This can give you a collage or background look.