This summer I wandered upon the magical world of Japanese-style decorated phone cases, better known as Decoden (loosely translated as decorated phone.) I became mesmerized by all of the different styles, characters, colors, & accessories that decorate these phone cases.
(Image by Etsy on their website {https://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=decoden+phone+case&order=most_relevant&page=2}.)
Just to illustrate that I'm not the only person obsessed with these wacky creations, the image below shows that Etsy currently has 3,412 search results for the terms, "decoden phone case."
(Image by Etsy on their website {https://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=decoden+phone+case}.)
Shortly after I ordered myself one from the website, Etsy, I became curious if I would be able to make my own, customized just how I'd like them. After reading a couple of blogs & watching some YouTube tutorials, I began making them myself. Over the past few months I've made close to 35 cases for friends & myself. Here is a glimpse of some of them:
You Will Need:
- A Hard, Plastic Phone Case
- DAP Brand Acrylic Silicone Latex Caulk
- Any Color of Acrylic Paint (for your icing)
- Cabochons (the fun, assorted accessories to decorate your case)
- A Piping Bag or Similar Icing Tool with Piping Tip
- A Bowl & Spoon
- Sandpaper
Depending on the phone you're buying your case for, you can find them very cheap. This case is for an iPhone 5, & was purchased at Dollar Tree for just $1.
Caulking material can be found almost anywhere, from places like Walmart, Kmart, & Target, to hardware stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc. If you're going to be making a colored icing yourself, white caulk is usually between $2-$3 per tube.
Likewise, small bottles of acrylic paint can be found at just about any retailer or craft store for less than a dollar, up to $2 per bottle, depending on the brand.
Cabochons can be found in an assortment of places if you use your imagination. You can find fun, unique pieces to use at yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, etc. I find most of my pieces at dollar stores & craft stores, like JoAnn's, Michael's, Pat Catan's, & Hobby Lobby. Etsy is also an amazing place to find different accessories & pieces that you might not find in a store.
Piping Bags, Tools, & Tips can be found in craft stores with baking sections, online, or even your local grocery & dollar stores. I found this icing syringe on a clip strip in the baking aisle at Walmart for $2.97.- First, you'll want to roughen the surface of your phone case with the sandpaper. This creates a scratchy, more porous surface for our "icing" to adhere to later
- Next, you will need to cut the tip off of the tube of your caulking material & squeeze enough of it into your bowl to cover the bottom of the bowl. Then, squeeze in just a couple squirts of your desired paint color. Too much paint will cause the caulk to become soupy; it won't hold its shape when piped & won't dry well
- Once your caulk has been colored with acrylic paint, spoon it into your piping bag or icing syringe & secure your piping tip
- Begin piping your icing mixture onto the phone case
- As you pipe your icing, begin placing your cabochons in the desired locations on your case, pressing slightly to set them, but not enough to cause the icing to ooze out from underneath them.
- Once you've placed all your cabochons, you're basically done with your case! Now it'll just need to sit for approximately 3 days or so, to make sure that the caulking material has fully dried
- Voila! You've Made Your Own Custom, Homemade, Japanese-Style Decoden Phone Case. Thank You & Enjoy!
- First, you'll want to roughen the surface of your phone case with the sandpaper. This creates a scratchy, more porous surface for our "icing" to adhere to later
You Can Also Refer to my Facebook Decoden Page to Check Out All my Cases:
www.facebook.com/briesdecodent
