A Colourful Morning at the Imperial College🎨

Recently I joined a decoupage workshop at the Imperial College London, hosted by Purls.UK — and it turned out to be such a refreshing creative experience.

We started by choosing patterned tissues — that alone already lifted my mood. So many colours and designs… it was hard to decide.

At first, I planned to decorate a plant pot. But somewhere along the way, I changed my mind and went for a small cylindrical box and a plastic container instead — sometimes the best ideas happen in the moment.

The process was simple, but required patience:

✂️ Cut the paper into shapes

🖌 Apply glue to the surface

📄 Carefully place the tissue (it’s very thin!)

⏳ Let it dry, then seal it with another layer of glue

Because the paper is so delicate, everything had to be done slowly and gently — a nice reminder to take your time and enjoy the process.

For the small box, I added a handle with a sparkling ribbon tape, and it completely transformed the piece. Such a small detail, but it made it feel so much more special ✨

And then — a surprise discovery.

Right opposite the workshop room was the Dangoor Reach Out Makerspace. I was genuinely excited seeing it — woodworking, laser cutting, 3D printing, electronics… everything in one space!

Sadly, it’s currently only open to children in the maker programme. There is another makerspace in the college too, but that one is limited to staff and students… Maybe one day I’ll find my way in as staff.

If you’re in London and enjoy hands-on crafts, workshops like this are such a great way to explore something new — and maybe even rediscover that creative side.