Review of the Decopatch Frame Kit

I made a really big mistake a few weeks ago.  It's a mistake I hope to repeat often, lol.

In a seeming change of conversation, lately I've been reviewing lots of wonderful products that were sent to me by the wonderful Karen Doherty of Exaclair.  Exaclair, Inc. distributes a variety of brands - Rhodia, Quo Vadis, J. Herbin--the list goes on!  The product I'm reviewing today, the Decopatch Frame kit, comes from a company quite different from ones I've reviewed before, so I thought I should introduce Decopatch before I begin.

Decopatch carries a line of decoupage papers, kits and supplies.  The blurb at the Exaclair website says: "Decopatch marries the fashion flair of French textile designs to high quality decoupage paper. The paper is ultra thin, super strong and flexible, so it can be applied seamlessly to any shape or surface."

If you check out the Decopatch page, you'll find some really cool papier-mache animal forms, bright decoupage papers, brushes and Aquapro Varnish.  You'll also find kits like the frame kit pictured above, and that's the product I'm reviewing.

I love kits like this, and when I saw the components, I had some fantastic ideas about the way to decopatch my frame and shadow kit.

Which leads back to the mistake.

Again, I seem to change the subject when I mention that my 89-year-old mother has been very ill lately.  She came down with shingles, and had a reaction to the medication that affected her mental health, causing hallucinations, decreased understanding and depression.  To top it off, her heart went into atrial fibrillation causing her extreme exhaustion along with a great risk of heart attack and stroke.

And, finally, the mistake.  Mom's always loved shadow boxes and kits like this.  She hasn't been interested in much of anything of late, but I thought knowing I was going to decorate this one might cheer her up a bit.

Ohh, it did.  Her eyes lit up--but she assumed I was giving it to her.  And so, of course, I did.  Karen, of all the things you've sent to me, this one tops them all.  The delight Mom has taken in decorating this kit was priceless!

I can still review the product.  Besides the exhaustion and confusion my mother was going through, her hands are arthritic, but she managed to do most of the decoupage herself.  I helped with the corners and the frame.  The paper was easy for her tear without making a mess of it.  I did need to check and make sure she was gluing everywhere since her vision isn't the greatest. 

(Edited to add a comment from a reader (who happens to be a fabulous artist/crafter!)-"Fabrizio MartellucciAugust 11, 2012 2:49 PM

I love their papers because they feel like sturdy tissue paper and will make my own washi tape with them. Love your creations...very cool Always amazed by your creativity ! Also may I add that their papers are manufactured to work with their glue so that when it dries it becomes brighter as it reacts. That's what the lovely owner of the company told me when I met her yonks ago in London. Hugz xoxoxo Fab)  Thank you Fab!

We're in the process of selling off my mother's house, and most of her belongings, including a doll collection, and she wanted to turn the box into a keepsake item, so she poured through her, literally, hundreds of dolls and trinkets.  Finally, she chose these.

The larger dolls are a bit tight, and I wouldn't be surprised if she decides to change them out.  She can do that because the lid can be removed.  If she decides she's still happy once the sale is over, I'll glue the lid down for extra security.

And the frame.  Well, Mom managed to misplace that before I put a photo into it.

I was waiting for her to choose from among these four shots from her doll room. 

Ah well.  It will turn up.  

I know I could have created something fancier, with more attention to layout and theme--I had the vision of a steampunk concoction.  But despite the limitations of my mother's abilities, the kit came out looking quite nice.  And it is now a real keepsake, invested with emotion and family history.

We used up every last bit of the glue, but I did have some of the decopatch paper left over, so I decided to try stamping and drawing on it.  

Since it was time to get started with round 7 of the Rhodia Journal swap I stamped some Halloween images (http://www.vlvstamps.com/plate-1435.html) , trimmed around them, and used miracle tape to stick it in my journal.  Then I tangled patterns around it with a pen and metallic gold gel pen.

I'll be buying more of the papers!

You can learn more about these Exaclair products at their website, the Rhodia Facebook page, and the Rhodia Drive blog.