Monday Project - Excuse me, that's my luggage!

When we bought our luggage 11 or 12 years ago it was wonderful!  No one else had red luggage, so we could easily spot it on the baggage carousels and no one tried to take it thinking it was theirs.  Over the years, more and more red luggage has appeared on the carousels.  I've been traveling a lot lately and retrieving my luggage has become hard again.  Over half the suitcases are red and not everyone looks at the tags (or at my orange handle cover and tape measure ribbon tied on), so I have to run up as my luggage is leaving the conveyor belt in the hands of someone else!  "Excuse me, that's my luggage!"  It always receives the reply of, "I don't think so."  It is.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on new luggage (I've seen purple showing up, though, so it has been tempting) I decided to add some art to my suitcases in a way NO ONE could miss.  I bought canvas Photo Fabric, found pictures of vintage travel stickers through Google images, and stuck them on with Liquid Nails.  I like it!  Below are the details if you'd like to do this, also.  If you haven't used Photo Fabric before, take a look at this past blog post first.

Materials List:
*suitcase
*Photo Fabric Canvas printed with vintage travel stickers/posters
*Liquid Nails
*Mod Podge for fabric
*vinyl gloves
*disposable knife or spreader
*paint brush


1.  Finish the edges of the printed stickers - I used a zigzag to go around the outside, set at .2 and 3.5.

2.  Cut stickers out, trimming close to edge of stitching.

3.  Apply Liquid Nails in a thin layer to the back of a sticker, getting to the edges.  I put on vinyl gloves and use a disposable plastic knife.  This stuff does NOT come off without a special solvent, so be careful where you get it!

4.  Press onto luggage, starting at the center of the sticker and working outward.

5.  Let the glue set for an hour or so and then apply a coat of Fabric Mod Podge.  Don't worry - it'll look really milky opaque, but it dries clear and seals the fabric so that if it gets mud or something on it you can wipe it off.  Mod Podge washes out of brushes with soap and water if you get it washed out right away.

One down, three to go!  I better get moving since I'll be off to see my son, daughter-in-law, and little c before too long.

Happy Creating!  Deborah