• wooden drawers, or any other piece you want to decorate
• pictures on paper
• water-based primer
• water-based matte varnish
• polyurethane varnish
• PVA glue
• wooden knobs with screws
• satin finish paint (for the insides)
• paper towel
• fine sandpaper (wet and dry is best)
• soft cloth
• paint brush
• glue brush

1. Wash off any grease from the drawers.
2. Lightly sand down all surfaces.
3. Apply two coats of primer, lightly sanding after each coat.
4. Use the satin finish paint to coat any surfaces you are not decoupaging.
5. Plan each face by laying out the pictures. Cut each one out and glue it onto the wood, taking care that there are no air bubbles by pressing lightly with a damp lint free cloth. The pictures can, and should overlap to some extent. Let it dry.
6. Brush on at least four coats (I used six) of water-based matte varnish, sanding lightly after each to remove bumps.
7. After wiping to remove dust, finish with two coats of polyurethane varnish for extra toughness.
8. Finish by giving the knobs a coat of primer, a couple of coats of paint and a couple of coats of oil-based varnish. Screw them onto the drawers from the back.

I'm so lucky that I have got a partner that can build practically anything he turns his hand to around my home. It's not what he does for a living but he believes anyone can make things if they put their mind to it. One of the reasons we bought this house was to put our own stamp on it. It's just a modest 1930's house but it still has a lot of its original features.

It has two chimney breasts into which we have put log burners. However, the chimney breasts did present us with a problem. What would we do with the alcoves? We came up with the idea of a DIY bookcase that S promptly designed, then made an MDF box to fit a very awkward space (1930's houses are not the straightest!) S made the shelves different sizes to fit different sized books, vases of flowers and a lamp.

I had quite a few books that I wanted to hand (book hoarder!), and the bookcase is perfect. I love shabby chic and French styles as you can probably see. It houses my fashion and lifestyle books and I do tend to collect pretty notebooks so they stand on there too.

It's amazing how much it actually holds, it definitely adds interest to the room without it feeling cluttered. Everyone who visits my home, including my daughters friends, all make a beeline for the books.

You will need:

• Wooden drawers (Ikea ones would be fine)
• pictures cut out of paper (any will do but I used one that already had a 'scrapbook' look) 
• water-based primer (optional but may produce better results)
• paint (I used Farrow & Ball 'Pointing')
• water based satin varnish 
• raw umber powder pigment or raw umber artist's acrylic paint (optional if you want an aged look - I didn't this time)
• paper towel 
• sandpaper (wet and dry causes fewer bits)
• soft cloth

What you do:

1. Wash off any grease from the drawers.
2. Sand all the surfaces to smooth them and to provide a key for the paint. 
3. Apply two coats of white water based primer paint, very lightly sanding after each one.
4. Apply two coats of  paint in the colour of your choice (I used some left over from painting my dining room).
5. Cut out, arrange and glue your pictures onto the drawers, taking care to make sure there are no air bubbles. I tried to plan out what was going where so that I had a slightly different look to the drawer fronts from the sides.The pictures can overlap and probably often look best if they do.  At this stage, after they have dried, you can spray the pictures with fixative to prevent the cut-outs from bubbling - I didn't.
6. If you wish to give it an antique look, mix three parts raw umber pigment with one part white primer paint mixed with eight parts water. Brush this onto the drawers and quickly wipe it off with paper towel, before it dries, leaving the paint in the crevices and brush marks. As I say, I chose not to do that this time, as the oil based varnish gives a slightly yellow, aged hue as it is. 
7. Brush on at least four coats, I used seven, of water-based satin varnish, brushing in different directions each coat, sanding lightly between each to remove bumps.
8. After wiping to remove dust, finish with two coats of polyurethane matt varnish to seal the drawers.
9. For the handles I used buttons sewn through the holes onto little buttons inside each drawer.

I've had this wooden tray for years but the varnish had worn through. It was beginning to be the worse for wear as I use it every day. Recently I found some cute wrapping paper which I thought would be lovely for decoration and so I thought I would try decoupage. As it was my first attempt I wanted to give it my best shot and do everything by the book. You could I suppose miss out the primer, if the tray isn't in too bad condition, and I guess one or two coats fewer of varnish wouldn't hurt. That way you could possibly finish it in one afternoon, with the aid of a hairdryer.
If you want to have a go at decorating a flea market find, this is how you do it.

You will need:

• MDF or wood tray
• pictures cut out of paper
• water-based primer (optional but may produce better results)
• paint (I used Farrow & Ball vert de terre)
• water based satin varnish 
• raw umber powder pigment or raw umber artist's acrylic paint
• paper towel 
• sandpaper (wet and dry causes fewer bits)
• soft cloth

What you do:

1. Wash off any grease from the tray.
2. Sand all the tray to smooth it and to provide a key for the paint. 
3. Apply two coats of white water based primer paint, very lightly sanding after each one.
4. Apply two coats of  paint in the colour of your choice (I used some left over from painting my dining room).
5. Cut out, arrange and glue you pictures onto the tray, taking care to make sure there are no air bubbles.They can overlap.  At this stage, after they have dried, you can spray the pictures with fixative to prevent the cut-outs from bubbling - I didn't.
6. If you wish to give it an antique look, mix three parts raw umber pigment with one part white primer paint mixed with eight parts water. Brush this onto the tray and quickly wipe it off with paper towel, before it dries, leaving the paint in the crevices and brush marks.
7. Brush on at least four coats, I used seven, of water-based satin varnish, brushing in different directions each coat, sanding lightly between each to remove bumps.
8. After wiping to remove dust, finish with two coats of polyurethane matt varnish to seal the tray.