Lessons Learned: My First Mod Podge Project

I found a small unfinished table and pair of chairs for Bug when she was just two months old. At the time I didn't have a vision for the set but who has many creative visions when you are a first time mommy with a newborn?  My Luv Bug is now 2 1/2. It's time.

Recently, I started noticing a trend of Mod Podge fabric/furniture projects on Pinterest. I've pinned a couple on my PLAYROOM board.  It got me thinking and inspired me to try a little Mod Podge experiment of my own...

My Materials
-Wood Table and Chairs (Clearance Section at Joanns)
-Custom US Map from Breeding Fancy on Etsy
-Spray Paint: Krylon's White Primer, Candy Apple, Lagoon (Home Depot)
-Mod Podge (Hobby Lobby*) Paper Mod Podge and Hard Finish Mod Podge
-Sponge Brushes** (Michaels)

*I always use the 40% coupon at Hobby Lobby!
**I stock up on the sponge brushes when they are on sale at Michaels 20 for $1.

My Experiment
First, I primed both chairs and the table and let them dry over night. Next, I painted the chairs candy apple red and the table lagoon and let them dry overnight.

Primed and painted.

The following morning I found a few areas where I got a little crazy with the spray paint and the paint dripped. I sanded those areas added a second coat. Again, I allowed it to dry overnight.

Now the hard part...

I spread a medium layer of Paper Mod Podge over the top of the table-just in the middle where I was going to place the print. (The Mod Podge website suggested to use a "medium" amount in order to avoid wrinkles.) Carefully {nervously} I placed the map on the middle of the table.  I used my hands to smooth out the bubbles.

As I was getting the bubbles out, some Mod Podge leaked out the sides. When I wiped the excess Mod Podge with a paper towel, I wiped off some ink from the edges of the print. I don't know why this happened. Do you?

Not sure what happened here.

I came across more issues with the edges of the print. Because the print was mailed in a tube, the edges were slightly rolled. If this were 1983 I would have used our encyclopedias to flatten the print. In the digital age I don't even have a phone book to use! So I slapped a piece of plastic on top of the table and turned the table upside down. I added some catalogs on top for additional weight.

After a couple of hours, I started to add a coat of the Hard Finish Mod Podge. Following the directions, I added a new coat every 20 minutes for a total of 3 coats.

Hard Finish Mod Podge-formulated for furniture.

As I was reading the instructions on the bottle, I discovered that it takes FOUR WEEKS to cure. That is just not going to work for a two-year-old. My plan is to use some Krylon gloss sealer that I have leftover from my mailbox project. But that will have to wait because it is now January and I don't know when we are going to get above 50 again. Oh how I miss sunny San Diego! 

The finished project! 

Overall I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. Here is what I learned:
*It's called Mod Podge, not Modge Podge.
*For large pieces of paper and furniture, a roller might be helpful to get the bubbles out.
*The Hard Finish Mod Podge for furniture takes FOUR weeks to cure.

What's Next
I really want to Mod Podge a graphic map of San Diego on our kitchen/craft table to create a permanent "table cloth." I need to do some more research because I can't wait four weeks for Mod Podge to cure.  Any advice?

-Caroline