iPhone Case, Take 2 (or, fixing 'when decoupage goes wrong...")

So, a few weeks ago, as ya'll know, I decided to decoupage my iPhone cover.  Quite frankly, it didn't turn out so well (very cute, but not terribly functional, and I had to have my boyfriend of the crazy-strong-hands to get it off the phone... oops...) Here's a pic:

[caption id="attachment_135" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="oopsy..."][/caption]

So, over the weekend, after crazy-strong-hand-boy took it apart, I had great fun ripping off the multiple layers of tissue paper and Mod Podge... really, it was almost more fun than putting it on the first time!

Anyway, here's the original case: You can see why I wanted to play with it... I mean, look at it... it's just so, so, dull.... so... not fun!!!!

So, anywho, over the weekend, I got all the stuff pulled off, and pondered what I wanted to do next... I'm a huge fan of Stampin' up!, and have this stamp set:

[caption id="attachment_151" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Cat's Meow Stamp set"][/caption]

Isn't she freakin' cute!?!  I love her (I actually used her in a Christmas card a few years ago...) She's just so regal and catty... She's awesome... (unfortunately, I don't think she's offered anymore.  very sad...)

Okay, back to the project.  I painted the case a rather bland shade of beige (it's a FolkArt paint from Plaid that I, for some reason, have a very large bottle of. I never buy the large bottle! But thank goodness I did that time, as I've been using it nonstop this week!) Once I had the case covered fairly well (2 coats, I think) I experiment on a sheet of printer paper for the best way to stamp Ms. Kitty up there.  After some trial and error (and discovering that my black stamp pad--also from Stampin' Up!--is now purple... odd... Of course, I think I've had it for about 6 years...) I decided the best way to do this would be with paint.  So then I had to practice with the paint and the stamp (can I just say, I sooooooo need a brayer...) I finally got it all worked out, got the stamp all painted up, and very carefully pressed the phone case onto the stamp.  See, I figured the best way to not smear it would be to just leave the stamp stationary, especially since I was going to have to press, and the phone case is, without the phone, essentially hollow... and it worked! (yeah, I was all ready to repaint the whole mess... but I didn't have to! woot!!!)

So, after I had Ms. Kitty there, I just felt it needed something more. A few years ago I bought a gold Martha Stewart stamp pad, so I used that and some small stamps (including the flowers in the cat's meow set) to accent the cover.

[caption id="attachment_146" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="The rough draft... (pre-podging...)"][/caption]

I tried to be all fancy on the cat, too.  Didn't work out so well in the end.  So, yeah, note to self, Martha Stewart Stamp pads, while cool, do not stand up well to sealer! (I added some gold paint to kind of antique the whole thing.)  So, you know, oops! I also added some gold paint for the collar, with little sparkling pink bits (I mixed red and silver paint) on that and the crown (there's a heart cut-out on the crown, so I painted it in.) After the Mod Podge coat, I sprayed the whole mess with acrylic sealer and let it hang out for 2 days.  Here's the finished project:

[caption id="attachment_147" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="on my newly 'podged table! LOL! (more on that soon)"][/caption]

And another pic: And some detail from the front:

[caption id="attachment_150" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The detail of the front edge--I painted it an antique gold..."][/caption]

Now, unfortunately, I think this one is now stuck on the phone, too.  But at least I like it better!  And so far, no weird crackly-but-not bits!

Oh, and here's the real Ms. Kitty (aka, Buttercup...)

[caption id="attachment_152" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Da Buttah-bee.... "][/caption]

She's not been pleased with Mama lately--I keep locking her out of the craft room while I 'podge. The last thing I need is cat hair in the mix!  (oddly, her brother doesn't seem to care much... go figure...)

Thanks for reading!

RLW