Alice in Wonderland Garden Plates

I'm a huge fan of MacKenzie Childs, the amazing ceramics and hand painted furniture makers from upstate New York.  When I saw the collection of enamel botanical plates, I was immediately inspired to create a set with my own favorite vintage floral images.  Instead of using a black and white checkerboard accent, I opted for a distressed harlequin.  For some reason these plates remind me of Alice in Wonderland, so that's what I called them.  Order up some wood plates from Walnut Hollow, print out my images here, and you can have a set of amazing chargers for years to come!  Remember to make your dinner table amazing and always Make Your Mark!

 I can't wait to host a dinner with these!

 I love the mix of prints!

Table set for four!

Watch how I made them here! 

STUFF I USED

Wood plates from Walnut Hollow

Americana Decoupage

Gold Paint Pen

Americana Acrylic Paint

Dura Clear Gloss Varnish

Flower prints

Spray bottle with water

HERE'S HOW

1.  Paint the plates front and back and let dry

2.  Carefully cut out your prints

3. & 4.  Trace the curved edge on each piece and cut

5.  Match the curved edges of the cutouts to the edge of each plate and crease the cutout along the center rim of the plate

6.  Clip the cutout up to the crease leaving the rim of the plate in tact

7. Mist the cut outs front and back

8. & 9. Spread Americana Decoupage on the back of the moist image and adhere to the plate

10.  Once you have your plate the way you want it, carefully draw a gold rim around the edge with a metallic paint marker

11.  Coat each plate with Dura Clear Gloss Varnish and let dry

12.  Serve up some dinner!

I think Alice would approve!

8O's Memphis Plates DIY

I LOVE 80s Memphis style....LOVE IT!  The colors, the mixed patterns, the COW PRINT mixed with yellow and stripes and dots and squiggles.  I guess you could say this is what the inside of my head looks like.  I'm glad to see this wonderful design movement is making a comeback.  What better way to add a little Memphis to your life than with some funky, painted (dishwasher safe) dishes?!  I had a terrific time painting these.  I could have painted them for weeks, BUT I have tons more fun projects in store for you that I have to get crackin' on!

  xoxo, Mark

A few of my new plates

You can get the perfect porcelain coffee mugs at the 99c store, too!

Watch the video tutorial here!

STUFF YOU'LL NEED

White porcelain plates *99c store

Painter's tape

Craft knife

Paintbrushes

Americana Gloss Enamels

Alcohol

Makeup sponges (triangles)

Black Krylon Short Cuts paint pen

DecoArt Glass Paint Marker in black

Contact paper

Minwax Polycrylic

Clean your plates with rubbing alcohol

Create your designs with contact paper and painter's tape

*I cut circles and taped triangles

Fill in the shapes with Americana Gloss Enamel using a makeup sponge

*Blow on the bubbles to pop them

Remove the tape when dry

*Create stripes with thin pieces of painter's tape

Make dots on folded contact paper using a hole punch

Try different designs using the DecoArt Glass Paint Markers

Bake in the oven twice at 325˚ for 30 minutes each time

*Let the oven cool in between baking times

To make them food save, coat them with Minwax Polycrylic

The best way to get REAL color on glass and porcelain!

Even works on dishes from the 99c store

The perfect morning coffee combo!

I call the one on the right Veins & Rice...Yup, weird, I know.