It’s getting to that time of year again where the dining table becomes the focus of pretty much all your activities, and I’m definitely not complaining!
But for me, it’s as much about what’s on the table as what goes in my mouth. Which is why, I’m sure you’ll not be surprised, I’ve been wanting to get creative with plateware and cups for so long, I just couldn’t decide what to use. Enter Painters, non toxic paint markers by Elmers, which work on any surface (metal, wood, ceramics, fabric, leather etc) without rubbing off. Versatile likeĀ ceramic paintĀ but easy to apply like a pen. Such a simple update to any old set of plates or tea cups and make the perfect personalised gift.
DIY Hand Painted Tea Cups
You need:
- Ceramic plateware
- Painter markers
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Cotton balls
How to:
1. First, it’s important to clean your cups really well, so that there aren’t any oils or other residue that will cause the paint to come off (if you have any slippage of the paint it will be because of the oil in your hands). Use your rubbing alcohol and cotton balls to do this and then dry really well. Once you have done this, use a light pencil to sketch out any designs you want on your plates, we went for really simple ones like circles and scallops.
2. Using your Painters, do the outline of the shape, and then fill it in.
3. Allow to dryĀ overnight until the paint has set.
4. For those of you wonderingĀ about whether the paint is dishwasher safe, one option to increase staying power is to bake the cups in the oven to further set the paint and bind the glaze and the paint together. To do this, preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (approx 400 degree f), with your cups in there, and then heat for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn the oven off, but leave the cups in there until they have cooled down completely so they don’t crack from being exposed to room temperature. Give them a wash and you’re set!
In case you’re interested, there’s a monthly Painters competition happening until the end of the year, with each month being a different theme. This month is all about holiday decorations and gifts (like these plates and cups). All you have to do to enter is submit your projects here, and share your creations on social media with #StyleByAisle and #PaintersStyle. Monthly prize winners will receive winning a $500 price. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Photos by Nicola Lemmon
This post is in collaboration with Painters.
