Friday Favorite. #12

So I wrote earlier that when I found the courage, I would share a tutorial on this project. ‘Not sure if I found the courage, or if it’s more the time that I found, but nonetheless, here it is.

In November, I saw a how-to on porcelain painting at the Under the Sycamore blog, and it looked so pretty that I had to try it. Which is ironic. And funny. And a slight bit ridiculous, because I cannot draw. Or paint. Or move a pencil in any sense of artistic manner. So, the fact that I thought I should try it is humorous. Funnier still is the thought that I could make them for Christmas gifts. But I did, and it was fun, and I liked the outcome enough to give a set to my mother-in-law and my sister.

When I did the painting, I was not thinking of doing a step-by-step tutorial, so the pictures here are sparse. But here are the details to get started:

- Get some porcelain trays, or plates, or bowls and make sure they are oven safe to 300 degrees. I got 4; a set of two different sizes for each gift, at Target.

- I purchased porcelain paint pens here. (Did you catch that? 4 ‘p’s in the same sentence. Oh, the alliteration!) I’ve heard you can also get them at Michael’s, too.

- I bought two different-sized paint tips, but only used the ‘fine’ pt. (I think it was 0.7mm) There are lots of colors available. I chose orange and black. And proceeded to like the orange, though I tried the same design in black on the second set. Finished it, scrunched my nose, and started over again in orange.

- The paint is easy to use, and can be wiped off while painting, in case, like me, you are a lousy painter.

- Once your design is finished and you’re happy with it and you stop fiddling and fixing and re-painting and wiping it off, and beginning again, (ahem) then let the paint dry for 24 hours.

- After the drying period, pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees and bake for 35 minutes. (Or just read the directions on the pens, as some of the temps/times may vary and I don’t want you to come find me if it gets ruined. K? K.)

- Better yet, check out the original post that I saw here, and follow her step-by-step directions. And admire her pretty design. I was afraid that making all those little dots to create a design wouldn’t compute from my brain to my fingers. So I made straight lines and it started to look like something. I think.

-Once the plates have ‘baked’, they are ready to use. The paint is hardened and will not scrape off- (even if you notice a mistake later)- and it is dishwasher safe, too.

- One more thing that I had to share. I had finished painting the plates, and they were drying in our bedroom. (Away from three children, okay? I promise I don’t craft in our bedroom.) Anyway, Paul came home from work and I didn’t tell him that I had painted them. He looks at them, picks them up, and says, “Did you get these at Anthro? I like ‘em.” I was all, “YOU MEAN IT?!!! I made them!” And he says, “No way.” Yes, that man knows the way to my heart. I was tha-rilled that he thought they were from Anthropologie. He seriously made my day. Pathetic, I know. (And now I’m wondering if he had his contacts in at that point…? Oh, I hope so. I really, really hope so.)

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If you try this, shoot me an email with some photos. I’d love to see your outcome! (Unless it’s over-the-top gorgeous, and then I’ll just feel like a wicked dork for showing you this elementary design…)

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Enjoy!