Here’s a great project for creating custom one-of-a-kind plates, cups, and glassware for your holiday table, at only $1 a piece!

Supplies:

• Clear glass plates, cups, mugs, serving plates, or saucers. You can pick these up for about 93 cents at your local discount store. (Try Walmart or the dollar shop!)
• Glass paint - Pick this up in the craft paint section of your local craft store, such as Micheals. I suggest no bake PermEnamel by Delta paint. Various colors as desired, I recommend two contrasting colors, such as silver and gold, or white and blue.
• Foam brush
• Plastic bag
• Stamp or stencil in motif desired.

Step one: Clean the plate thoroughly, and follow directions on the glass paint product package for conditioning the surface.

Step Two: On the back of the glass plate, stamp or stencil your chosen motif in the center of the plate with color #1. If your piece is a cup or mug, skip this step for now. Let dry.

Step Three: Using color #1 and the foam brush, on the backside of the plate, paint a band of color around the edge of the plate, as shown. Let dry. Recoat if necessary. If your piece if a cup, use a flat paintbrush or a small foam brush to paint a band around the outside of the mug, in the middle. Let dry.

Step Three: Now using a crumpled plastic bag, sponge paint the entire back of the plate with color #2. Do not make it opaque, just sponge evenly and lightly over the whole plate, somewhat the look of frosted glass. If your piece is a cup, at this point stamp or stencil your motif in the center front of the mug, centered over the band.

Step Four: Follow directions on your paint package for curing and care. I recommend hand washing without abrasives.

You can make an entire set of dishes with this method, be sure to check your discount store for the price on a whole set of clear plates, it might be even cheaper than a buck a piece to buy a whole set!

Kathy Wilson is a home and garden writer, author and consultant and is the home decorating expert for LifetimeTV.com. Visit her for more home and garden ideas at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com and http://www.TheGardenGlove.com. Also visit her at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com where any woman can learn to make money on the internet!