Exploring Found Images & Objects Project #1: Decorated Platter

Materials

• Clear plastic platter
• Assorted patterns of tissue paper and/or paper napkins
• Glue stick
• Mod Podge
• Washi tape
• Permanent markers
• Permanent metallic markers

Tools

• Piece of thin cardstock bigger than the inner circle of the platter
• Pen
• Scissors
• Foam brush

Instructions

1. Turn the platter upside down on your work surface. Place the cardstock over the inner circle of the platter and rub around the circle with your hand. This will transfer a round fold to the cardstock that is the size and shape of the inner circle. Cut this circle out.

   

2. Choose a pattern of tissue paper or paper napkin to be the background of the image in the inner circle of the platter. Trace around the cardstock circle on to the tissue paper or napkin and cut it out. If using a paper napkin, peel the layers off of the back of the circle so you are working with a single layer.

   

3. Make a collage on the circle from images and/or words cut from tissue paper or napkins. If using napkins, peel off the layers on the back so you are working with a single layer. Glue the cutouts on to the circle with a glue stick. You can also add washi tape to the collage, if you like.

   

4. Choose a pattern of tissue paper or napkin to be the outer border of the platter. Lay the platter upside down on the tissue paper or napkin and trace around it. Cut out this circle. Again, if using a napkin, peel off the layers so you have a single layer.

   

5. Fold the circle in half, then in half again, with the wrong side out. Lay the folded quarter circle on the upside down platter so that the curved edge goes along the edge of the platter. Take a pen and trace the inner edge of the outer border of the platter.

   

6. Cut the tissue paper along the line you just drew. Discard the part below the line. Unfold the circle. Now you have a ring in the size and shape of the outer border of the platter.

   

7. Place the platter upside down on the work surface and brush a layer of Mod Podge over the inner circle.

   

8. Place the inner circle collage face down in the Mod Podge. Now brush Mod Podge over the outer border.

   

9. Place the ring of tissue paper face down in the Mod Podge around the outer border. Brush more Mod Podge over both the inner circle and the outer border of the platter.

   

10. Now you're going to decorate the little space between the inner circle and the outer border. If your platter is not designed that way, you can skip this part. Choose a color of permanent marker and color little squares in the space between the inner circle and the outer border. Leave blank squares of about the same size between each square.

    

11. Now put little pieces of washi tape in those in-between blank spaces. These will have to be face down, so they won't stick. Use more tape on top of them to stick them down.

    

12. Let the platter dry completely upside down before going on to the next step.

    

13. Turn the platter over. If there are raised areas in the plastic, you can embellish these with metallic permanent markers.

    

14. Enjoy your finished platter!

    

Here's another one I made with different patterns of tissue paper and napkins.