Crafts :: The Giving Plate

Thanksgiving is a week away and to avoid last minute shopping for gifts I am baking cookies to fill my giving plates. I love this original handmade gift for sharing life’s special moments with those closest to your heart. With the holiday season upon us, the Giving Plate is perfect for creating your own traditions while reflecting on the meaning of the special time you spend with those you love. Take turns with the Giving Plate—give it to Mom or Grandma even a friend—and maybe you will receive it back, a special reminder of one another.

You will need:

• Craftsmart paint pens (ideal for wood, plastic, metal and glass) I found mine at Michaels here
• A plate, anyone will do, one similar to mine is here
• Ribbon
• Rubbing alcohol

Find my message of the giving plate to write on the plate.

You can also only write ‘The Giving Plate’ on your plate and attached the message as a tag.

I used craft smart pen in black and gold. I washed the plate, dried it and then wiped it down with rubbing alcohol to make sure the surface was clean of any soap residue or dust. Then I drew on the plate with my paint pens.

Don’t worry if you make a mistake it is quite easy to take off the pen with rubbing alcohol.

I wrote my whole message and then I  put my plate in the oven while it was turned off. I set it to 350 degrees for 30 minutes and then I turned the oven off. I left the plate in the oven to cool down then I pulled the plate out of the oven and hand washed it (just to see what would happen to the paint) and WOO! The paint held up and the plate is adorable.

*If you’re wondering what the deal is with putting the plate in the oven before you turn it on and leaving it in there overnight, it’s because you want the plate to heat up and cool down slowly to prevent cracking (or worse). It needs to gently heat up with the oven and slowly cool down completely or you risk having a split plate or one that pretty much shattered.