Palo Alto Festival of the Arts + Easy DIY Decoupage Ideas

It’s no secret that I love browsing the booths at local arts and crafts fairs. Last Sunday, my family and I went to visit the 33rd Annual Palo Alto Festival of the Arts on University Avenue in Palo Alto, CA. It also gave me some inspiration for easy decoupage ideas (more on that later though).

33rd Annual Palo Alto Festival of the Arts

One of the main attractions that was not to be missed was the Italian Street Painting Expo. There several artists created masterpieces of chalk on the once colorless asphalt street. It was amazing to see how they were able to create such powerful, detailed pieces on such a large scale. The funny thing is that they used the same method we teach children when young – creating a grid and filling in one box at a time, according to the corresponding square on the smaller art piece.

Since I was at the festival as a #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Ambassador, I got a little extra treat. The talented Cecelia Linayao (aka Cece) was asked by Verizon to create a piece that had ties to the local culture of Northern California. She chose to create a tribute to the late Maya Angelou. Many don’t know that she once lived in the SF Bay Area and that she was the first African American female street car conductor. Cece even edited a one-page biography so passersby could learn more about this amazing woman.

And on this very special project, I had the privilege of helping. Well, I only colored and smeared a little bit in as I didn’t want to ruin Cece’s amazing work. What an experience!

With some 300 artisans, it took quite some time to see everything. Despite a lot of indecision, we finally settled on an artist whose work we all fell in love with. Bright colors, cheerful vibe, and images we could relate to moved us to buy a few of her pieces mounted on bamboo. Munchkin chose two that made her smile and Frans and I had to get the one with an elephant and mouse, a long-running “thing” for us as a couple. Aren’t they adorable?!

Easy DIY Decoupage Ideas – Photo Mounting on Wood

To continue our #MoreNorCal experience, I decided to recreate the items we purchased with a little DIY craft project. But first, one important piece was needed– the wood to mount our image on. Here’s a quick video of the shopping trip, thanks to the GoPro Hero3+ from Verizon. It was my first time using it and I was trying to be discreet in holding in the store so please excuse the shakiness.

Instead of forcing Munchkin to create a work of art on the spot for me, I opted to use a photo we had taken a few months ago. The process was fairly easy.

1. Attach hanging fixture to wood base, if not already present.
2. Apply two thin, even coats of protective sealant. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly.
3. Print image on thick piece of card stock and cut to exact measurements of wooden surface.
4. Apply layer of decoupage (I used Mod Podge Satin finish) and quickly affix photo/artwork to base. Press firmly and smooth out completely. Allow to dry.
5. Apply layer of decoupage to image and sides of wood. Allow to dry. Repeat.
6. Spray on one last layer of sealant and your piece of art is ready to display.

Well, that was a fun and productive trip. We had some outside family time, drew with chalk, picked up new decor, and even got crafty. There’s nothing like enjoying the local offerings from home.

What local activities have you enjoyed this summer?

I was compensated for this coverage as part of my participation as a #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Ambassador. All opinions are my own.