Decoupaged Plates

I already planned to give my Mom, MIL and Grandmother these for Mother's Day, but I wanted to give them something else...something useful and meaningful! Sooooo I decided to make decoupaged plates. They could use them as a decoration or as a serving tray! And they would think of us every time they see it and remember how MUCH we love and appreciate them!

MD has already come and gone, but you might want to make them for another occasion. I think they would make great Christmas, Birthday, Valentine's Day, End of the Year teacher's gift...etc. Here's how it's done.

Materials:

fabric (How much depends on the size of your tray/plate. I used a fat quarter.), Modge Podge, paint brush (I like the foamy/spongy kind), clear glass plate (I got mine at Wal-Mart for $5) polyurethane (I used the spray kind), disappearing ink pen, scissors, exacto knife, coffee can or other wide brimmed object for pedastool for drying.

Optional: water-slide decal, coordinating fabric, stencils, photo

Wash your plate and take any stickers off. I used Goof Off to help out with that! Be careful not to touch the outside of the plate. You don't want your finger prints to interfere with the Modge Podge.

Iron your fabric. Place the plate on top of the fabric and trace around the plate. Leave some overlap. I tilt the pen as I trace. It's better to have too much than too little. You will go back later and cut the excess off.

If you want any photos or embellishments(butterflies, flowers, decal, etc.) you will want to have them ready. I provided some of my embellishment stencils...You would just print, cut out the stencil, and place it on the wrong side of your fabric(so the marker doesn't show). Trace around it with your disappearing ink pen/pen. Cut it out and set it aside. Carson and Clara have a first year frame and I used the oval from the frame as my template.

Tree and Oval

I used a brown corduroy for the tree.

I put fray check around the edges to prevent fraying.

Make sure your plate is clean and dry. If you are using a decal do this first and let it dry for 3 hours. I laid my tree on the plate to help with the placement of the decals.

If not go ahead and place the plate on the pedestal. Brush on the Modge Podge with your foam brush. Make sure its a nice even layer. I was very liberal with it. Place the fabric/photos/on top of the plate and then apply another layer of Modge Podge over the fabric. I use my fingers to help smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles. I did this throughout the drying period.

Then I placed the tree and fabric down. And another layer of Modge Podge.

Let it dry for at least 24 hours. Then trim the edges so the fabric is even with the side of the plate. Your plate my not be completely dry in 24 hours. I found that some of my plates to a several days to totally dry...the glue on the pictures in particular.

Cut any excess fabric using your exacto knife or scissors. Both worked for me.

When your decoupage is dry you can apply polyurethane. This will help seal and protect your project. I used it only on the fabric side of my plate. Spray 3-6 coats of polyurethane on the plate, following the directions of the manufacturer. Make sure you use it in a well ventilated area. Outside is best.

Now you have beautiful and personalized plates! Great Job! You can use them for serving food, but you will not want to submerge your plate in water. Use a damp cloth to wipe off the surface of the tray or plate.

Grandma loved her decorative decoupaged plate with all of her great grandchildren's smiling faces! C & C loved helping her open it...

and showing her everyone on it!

We love grandma!!

And we love going to grandma's house because we can eat yummy treats and pick her tomatoes!

Applying a Water-slide Decal to a Project:Tutorial

I was so excited when this came in the mail!

I love to personalize things. It gives whatever it is such character and makes it unique. I started researching water-slide decal paper the other week. I ended up ordering it from this site. I bought two different kinds of paper (inkjet water-slide and magnet). I could use the inkjet water-slide paper for candles, decorative plates, soap, etc. and with the magnetic paper I thought I might do some fun stuff for Carson. She is really into trying to spell her name and everyone's name in our family. Maybe some name puzzles?! Anyway, I have really enjoyed using these decals and wanted to share the process with you!

If you are interested in water-slide decal paper...this is how it works in a nutshell.

Materials: Clear Water-slide Decal Paper, Krylon Acrylic Clear Coat Spray (if you have a laser printer you don't need this), an object in which to place your decal, bowl of water, scissors, printer

Before you begin, clean your object and take any stickers off. I used Goof Off to remove it and it worked great!

1) Use photoshop, power point or any other program you may have to create your picture/text.

2) Print it on your water-slide decal paper. NOTE: if you are going to place your decal on the inside of the object, like I did here, you will want to print it in REVERSE. I have a Mac and did that by going to File-> Print-> (go to the 3rd drop box where it says copies and pages) choose Layout and then check the box that says Flip Horizontally. Print it out!

3) Spray 2-3 coats of Krylon Acrylic Clear Coat Spray and let it dry for 30-60 minutes.

4) Cut out your picture/text

5) Get a bowl of tap water and place the decal in the water for about 30 seconds until the paper slides off. If the ink comes off in the water you did not apply the spray properly. I did this the first time around:)

6) Take the decal and position it like you want it.

7) Blot the excess water with a towel. Remove any air bubbles at this time. And let it dry for a few hours.

ALL DONE in 7 easy steps!

I am in the process of finishing up some things for Mother's Day using these decals and can't wait to share them with you...stay tuned!

Here is a sneak peak of one of them...

A tutorial on decoupaging plates coming soon!

Dress-up a Koozie: A tutorial

Summer is right around the corner which means it's going to start getting H.O.T.! One way to beat the heat is with an ice cold beverage. Keep your hands warm and body cool with a cute koozie. Here's how...

Materials:

1) Use your disappearing ink pen to mark the koozie. You are going to choose where you want the front to be. Mark 1/2" from the top and make a line 3/4" long.

2) Next measure 1.5" from that line and make another 3/4" line. Make sure that one is also 1/2"

from the top.

3) Now you will make two more 3/4" lines each 1.5" from the first two lines in either direction.

4) Then you will make two more lines measuring 2" from the last two lines you drew.

You should have a total of 6 lines measuring 3/4" in length and 1/2" from the top of the koozie.

5) Take the exacto knife and cut on your lines.

6) Cut your ribbon long enough so that you will be able to tie a double bow. You can always trim a little at the end. Take the safety pin and attach it to your ribbon and weave it in and out through the slits.

7) Tie one bow and then another.

8) Trim the ends and singe them to prevent fraying. Leave it as is or wrap the ends around the center and apply a little glue with a glue gun.

Last year (and I will do it again this year) I gave Carson's teachers a bucket of summer like items for an end of the year gift. I am going to include this koozie in this year's end of the year bucket.

Butterfly Bows: Tutorial

The other day my sister asked me if I could make a couple outfits (big sister/little sister) for my niece's friend who is having a big sister party! The party is to celebrate the fact that she will become a big sister for the very first time! I of course said yes and chose some fabric...

butterfly fabric! It took me awhile because I could buy everything in the store, but I went with what I thought the girls would love...butterflies!

The fabric inspired butterfly bows for the big sister and little sister. And here's how you make them!

Materials:

-For the wings you need 2, 1.5 inch ribbon cut 11" long

-to tie the wings you need 2, 3/16 inch ribbon cut 9" long

-for the antennae you need 2, 3/8 inch ribbon cut 2" long

-to make the gathered body 1, 1 inch ribbon cut 10" long (there will be some leftover you will just glue and snip)

-down the center of the gathered body you need 1, 1/2 inch ribbon cut 4" long

-for the alligator clip(just covered the bottom portion of the clip) you need 1, 1/2 inch ribbon 4" long

-2 felt pieces for the body about 3.5"

-pen

-scissors

-glue gun

-alligator clip

1) Mark the center of the wings and glue both ends in the middle.

2) Tie with the 3/16" ribbon and repeat with the other wings. Trim ribbon.

3) Glue wings together

4) Take the ribbon for the gather body and sew a basting stitch, gather.

5) Glue the gathered body to one of the felt pieces.

6) Use the 1/2 " ribbon you cut 4" in length and glue the end partially on the felt piece and down the center to the end of the body. You will have a little leftover to glue the end part on the felt as well.

7) Glue the antennae on the felt...

and cover the back of the body with the 2nd felt body piece.

7) Glue the body onto the wings.

8) Now you are going to glue the ribbon onto the clip. Start at the back and glue the ribbon down the back of the clip. Open the clip so you don't glue it shut and continue to glue the remainder of the ribbon to the inside of the clip.

9) Glue the clip onto the back of the bow and let the butterflies fly!

For the little sister butterfly I used 1"ribbon for the wings, 3/8" ribbon for the gathered body and the 3/16" ribbon for the antennae. I also singed the ends of the antennae with a lighter to prevent fraying. Have fun and let me know if you have ANY questions!

I think they would also make perfect take home gifts for a little girls birthday party!

-Sarah