So I recently discovered Mod Podge; it's fun, inexpensive, and provides endless crafting possibilities! (The bottle I picked up at Hobby Lobby was about $3.50)
My first MP project was a picture frame for Savanna's room. It was plain, exposed particle-board-looking stuff when I bought it. (See second pic). I applied MP to scraps of paper in a collage format, let it dry, then applied MP to the top of the papers to form a glossy seal. MP comes in matte or glossy.
You can apply anything from paper to fabric (that's my next project!) onto wood, metal, glass, particle board, etc. The possibilities are endless!


Finished product