Although Spring Break has come and gone, let’s not forget about that 72-hour mini-vacay smack in the middle of second semester—that’s right ladies, it’s fraternity formal season.
Other than the massive dilemmas of deciding which bikini to bring from your collection of Victoria’s Secret swimwear and which dress hanging in your closet is the perfect combination of classy and cute, every girl asked to formal must also come prepared with a decorated cooler for their date. These frat-coolers, cleverly called “froolers”, are a perfect opportunity to combine your love for crafting with your love for everything preppy and Greek-life related—every sorority girl’s dream, right? For some ladies, cooler decorating is practically their calling; for the other, less artistic group of gals, the task can be quite daunting. Regardless of your artistic ability, every girl can become the ruler of the frooler by using these helpful tips and tricks!
SUPPLIES:
- Cooler (obvi)
- Sand Paper
- Acrylic Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Paint Pens (optional)
- Primer
- Mod-Podge
- Sealer
STEP ONE: SANDING
- Be sure to sand all surfaces of the cooler that are going to be painted! Sanding the outside of the cooler removes the bumpy texture of the plastic and gives you a smooth surface to paint on.
STEP TWO: PRIMETIME
- Make sure you prime the whole cooler before you paint it. This will help create an even color all over the cooler for you to paint on and will also make the paint last longer. We put primer on our faces before applying the rest of our makeup to make it look fresh all day, and your frooler requires the same kind of care for the same reason!
STEP THREE: BASE
- It looks really cute when each side of the cooler has been painted a different background color! Before painting your designs onto each side, use different colored spray paint to create a solid background color for you to then decorate! Make sure the colors you choose are light so that everything you paint on top is visible!
STEP FOUR: OUTLINE
- This is super important to do and will most definitely make the painting process easier! After your base coat has dried, use a pencil to outline or trace everything you would like to paint on to the frooler. This way you have a perfected guide and don’t have to worry about making a mistake when you apply the actual paint.
STEP FIVE: GET CRAFTY
- Now is the time to run wild with your creativity! Use acrylic paint to make designs on the frooler, and don’t forget to use at least two coats of paint on every painted design to make sure all the colors POP!
- Paint pens are extremely helpful for lettering or small designs that a paintbrush might be too thick for! Use these to fill in small spaces or make cute decorative designs along the edges of the frooler.
- If you have a design in mind that may be too difficult to paint by hand, print it out on white paper, cut out the design and use mod-podge to make it stick! Be sure to follow the directions on the mod-podge to get the best results.
STEP SIX: SEAL THE DEAL
- After you have painted your frooler to absolute perfection, make sure to use a sealer to insure that none of your hard work gets ruined! A sealer will create a clear layer over the paint and prevents chipping or water damage! Again, follow the instructions on the bottle to make sure you get the best results.
And voila!
All hail the ruler of the frooler!