China Plate - Mother's Day Gift

It's Mother's Day in less than 2 weeks, so when the grandchildren spent the weekend, we decided to make something special for mommie.

I had a white lacey china plate, which was already pretty, but I thought it would look nice with a monogram in the center. It was also a good way to show the grandchildren that etching creme can be used for china too!  It's SO simple and SO pretty and only took us about an hour to make.

1. The first step is to either use a stencil you already have, or create a custom monogram with a digital die cutting machine.  I have a Cricut Explore and I used a font that was in my font folder on the computer.  We cut the letter "M" from etchall® etchmask (adhesive vinyl) inside a 4" square.  TIP: Centering it in a square is helpful when centering it on the plate.

2. Cover the stencil with a 4" square of etchmask transfer paper, then remove the backing from the etchmask. Place the stencil at the center of the plate then carefully remove the transfer paper. 

3. Use a pik tool, or point of a craft knife to carefully remove the letter "M".  Do not push the tool in from the cut edge, since this may damage the outline. Always find a thick spot to insert the tip and lift from there.  Make sure the etchmask is firmly on the plate.  Smooth away any bubbles that may be around the opening, otherwise the etching creme may creep under the edge. 

4. We then covered the area to be etched with etchall® etching crème. I usually pour the creme onto a different area of my project, then spread it across the open area to be etched with a squeegee, but it was easier to let the children use a plastic spoon to dip creme from the container and place it onto the opening. They used the back of the spoon to gently spread it over the area to be etched. They were very careful not to get any creme on any other areas of the plate.  It would have been better to cover the rest of the plate completely with pieces of leftover etchmask and/or transfer paper, but we were excited to get to the etching part and we forgot.... silly Nana.  Luckily it worked out just fine.

NOTE: In case you are wondering why I am comfortable letting my grandchildren use this glass etching product, etchall® etching products are ACMI certified, which means they have gone through rigorous testing and meet strict requirements. A copy of the certification symbols are in my sidebar on the left. This product has no noxious, or harmful fumes and, as with other craft materials and tools, they are supervised.

5. We let the creme sit for 15 minutes, then used the spoon to carefully scoop it up and put it back in the container. I have to admit that I did this part, since they had gone on to other things at this point. Waiting is not a strong suit with 7 and 10 year olds..... even if it is only for 15 minutes.

6. I washed away the remaining residue, but left the stencil in place for the next step. Rub'n Buff is a great product for adding a gilded look to etched areas; you only need a little.  Following directions, massage the tube a little before opening to mix the product. It has a tendency to separate like some paints.  Squeeze a small amount onto a soft cloth, or paper towel then, using a circular motion, gently rub the cream over the etched letter.  (A stencil brush works well too.) There are a few colors to choose from, but I used gold for this project.

7. After coloring, remove the stencil to reveal your gilded monogram.

8. I'm sure mommie will love this plate, especially since the children helped to make it!

If you read my blog regularly, you'll have seen other etched projects here and know how much I love etching all kinds of surfaces. Etchall has kindly provided me with product to work with, so I can share my ideas with you.  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now...

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!