Briefly warm your bottle of Mod Podge in a bowl of warm water before applying it to your project. → This slightly thins the medium, eliminating brush strokes for a perfectly smooth, professional-looking finish.

(Especially useful for decoupage on glass, wood, or any project where a bubble-free, stroke-free surface is critical.)

Mood boards are important because they visually capture the style, tone, and feeling of a project before you begin, helping you stay consistent and inspired. They act as a creative roadmap, guiding color choices, materials, and overall aesthetic. In short, they turn abstract ideas into a clear visual direction.

-One clean, quart-sized mason jar

-Red, black, and green acrylic craft paint

-White tissue paper

- Mod Podge (matte finish)

-Small flat paintbrush

-Fine-tipped paintbrush

-Foam brush

-Scissors

-Jute twine

-Battery-operated LED tea light or fairy lights

First, cut the white tissue paper into small, irregular pieces. Using the foam brush, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the outside of the jar. Place the tissue paper pieces onto the wet Mod Podge, overlapping them slightly until the entire outer surface is covered. Smooth out any large wrinkles and apply one final, thin coat of Mod Podge over the top to seal everything.

Once the Mod Podge is completely dry to the touch, use the fine-tipped paintbrush and green paint to create several long, thin stems. Start from the bottom of the jar and paint upwards, ending about halfway up the jar. Vary the heights and add gentle curves to the stems to make them look like a natural cluster.

Next, use the flat paintbrush and red paint to add the poppy flowers at the top of the green stems. Create the petals by making 4-5 simple, C-shaped dabs of paint in a circle. Don't worry about perfection; the slightly uneven shape looks more natural.

After the red paint has dried, dip the very tip of your fine-tipped paintbrush in black paint. Carefully dot a small black circle in the center of each red poppy. This simple detail will complete the look of your flowers.

For the finishing touch, cut a piece of jute twine, wrap it around the threaded rim of the mason jar a few times, and tie it into a simple bow. Finally, turn on your battery-operated tea light and place it inside the jar.

Congrats! Now that you have the “know how”, why not try and remix it. Try differnt sized poppies or a different coloured background. Maybe no background at all? If you do decide to go a different route we’d love to see it! use #fivestepstudio or send it to us at fivestepstudio.com