Creating a unique piece of furniture for your home or office can be fulfilling and enjoyable for many reasons; unique conversation piece as well as the satisfaction of self achievement. We all enjoy time to time having something out of the everyday and ordinary. Creating an extraordinary decoupage table may just be the right project you have been seeking. I have created a tarot table that I use as my altar, you could also use poker cards and create a wonderful table for your game room!

I have composed a list of what you will need to get your project launched. I highly recommend you have your material and tool list ready before you start any project. You wouldn’t want to be in the middle of your project and realize you have forgotten something. You’d be surprised how many times over the years I have done that and it is just annoying to no end.

Decoupage table project materials:
Wooden table
Fine sandpaper
Tack cloth
Paint
Paint brush
Painter’s masking tape (optional)
Paper items for decoration such as tarot cards or poker cards
Scissors
ModPodge or other decoupage medium
Sponge paint brush
Disposable plastic containers for paint & decoupage medium (optional)
Thrift-store furniture virtually begs to be decorated. Anything wooden, you can always paint it. But why not kick it up a notch by decoupage designs onto the painted surface? You can use almost any piece of paper -- wrapping paper, greeting cards, playing cards, or tarot cards. I love my tarot cards and I had done this project to use for my altar.

First, clean up the table or other furniture. Wipe down all surfaces, and make any needed repairs. Next, sand the wood so the paint will stick well. Use a fine grade of sandpaper, and, with a light hand, sand everywhere you want to paint. Make sure to get into any crevices or detail work too. After sanding, use a tack cloth to remove all the dust.

Now you're ready to paint! Lay down some newspapers or a drop cloth, open the paint can, stir it up, and then dip the brush in. Smooth, gentle strokes in the same direction will produce an even finish. You may need two coats of paint, especially for dark colors.

On my table, I painted the legs and top edge reddish-purple. Then I painted the shelf and table top black, to give the tarot cards a more neutral background. If your piece of furniture has detail woodwork, consider painting that part in a contrasting color. Let the paint dry overnight, at least, before moving on to the decoration.

Cut out your paper designs, bearing in mind how much of the edges or white spaces you want showing. If the paper is thick (like a playing or tarot card), you may want to carefully peel away a few layers from the back. Once your pieces are prepped, lay them out on the table to plan the overall look. I chose cards that meant something positive to me and reflected who I am.

Pour some decoupage medium into a shallow container, and use a sponge paint brush to paint the back of one paper piece with the medium. Lay the paper down in position on the table, and lightly brush the front of it with more decoupage medium. Repeat this for all the paper items, then brush on a light coat of the medium over the whole design. Let it dry, and then add one more coat of the decoupage medium. When that's dry, you'll have a custom piece of furniture that cost little but your time!