send a message with stamped dishes!

sometimes an idea comes outta' nowhere.

sometimes, nature is the inspiration.

and sometimes, another creative person does something new

that makes me realize a possibility that intrigues me...

that's the case with this 'just for fun' diy project.

i saw something on social media and laughed.

then i thought 'i have a few china dishes that i could do something like that with....'

and so, i tried it just to see how it would look.

my approach is temporary art, as most of my decor projects are.

(actually, i came up with TWO ways to do this project that are temporary)

when i tire of this look, i'll be able to 'erase' it

and return the dishes to their original condition.

and when it was all done, another approach occurred to me!

...continue reading to see where my mind took me...

first off, i have to give credit where credit is due:

this fun project was inspired by artist Marie-Claude Marquis...

see her snarky, funny, and laugh-inducing creations on Instagram at @MariMarki !

what intrigued me was her use of miscellaneous vintage plates

adorned with painted letters that spell out rather... unconventional?!... messages.

they are eye-catching to say the very least!

since the china plates & cup i planned to use are quite nice,

i wanted the lettering that i put on them to be temporary and non-damaging to the china.

i decided to use a set of stamps and stamp ink,

so that they can be wiped off of the china (with rubbing alcohol) when i tire of this look.

another way to complete a project like this in a temporary way

would be to use stickers - which are also easily removed.

here's a look at my before and after:

the pretty daffodil-print place setting was a birthday gift one year,

purchased at an antique shop on Whidbey Island, Washington.

i saw it and was instantly smitten. daffies have always been my favorite flower.

i've displayed it in one way or another every year since...

except this year. i honestly forgot alllll about it.

(Covid brain? maybe.)

but when i saw Marie-Claude's art, i remembered this china,

and thought it would make the perfect 'canvas' for some messages to myself.

the letter stamps i have are clear vinyl, so i laid them out on the plates to get the right placement.

then i inked and stamped each letter very carefully (they wanted to slide on the glossy china)

my tip: let the ink dry completely before moving & displaying them.

here's a closer look at the three pieces of china, and how i arranged them.

i placed the dishes in an arrangement on my faux mantel here in my studio/office,

where i look directly at them every day.

 

it may not be apparent to anyone but me,

but the stamps inside the teacup are eyes, rolling at the snarky quote on the plate!

i used the O stamp and then inked a tiny paintbrush to add the pupils.

those messages? they aren't just appropriate because of the flower motifs on the china.
i've been trying to stretch myself, reach, grow into new areas of living and thinking,
and these sentiments serve as a reminder to keep doing that.

it's a bit like the phone calls i used to get from my sassy bff, Lori...

she was sarcastic and brash and impatient with me when i held myself back,

especially when it came to my creativity.

so as i stamped those phrases, i very nearly heard her saying them to me again.

(i wish she still could... she changed her residence to Heaven in 2013.)

this project could work in as simple a way as stamping/sticker-ing/painting

one word on one plate or a series of plates,

such as 'spring' or 'welcome, spring'. 

if you have dishes passed down from your mom or grandma,

this would be a sweet way to incorporate them into your Mothers' Day decor...

imagine adding a name to a plate with her favorite flower on it?

or the name of her favorite dessert or tea?

arrange them on a mantel or shelf, or hang them as a group on a wall,

to honor the women in your life.

_________________________________

as i was typing this post, another approach to this project occurred to me

and i gave it a try:

call me crazy, but...

you can use an EDIBLE substance to stamp dishes, too!

ketchup, mustard, jelly, chocolate syrup... the possibilities are endless fun!

links to previous related posts:

tucking a nest into a teacup

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #575

creatively beth | creative crafts linky party #40

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