Picture Perfect Platter

Make a decorative platter featuring your favorite photos!

You Will Need

White ceramic platter, 18 inches by 14 inches

3 photographs, 3 inches by 3 inches each

Scrapbooking paper

Typewriter key alphabet stickers, one-half inch tall

Alphabet stickers, one inch tall

Lazertran waterslide decal transfer sheet (for laser color copier/printers), 8 1/2 by 11 inches

Paper cutter

Double-sided tape

Casserole dish, 9 inches by 12 inches

Squeegee

Paper towels

Oven mitts

Directions

Step 1

To create the art for the platter, get out your scrapbooking materials and make an 8 1/2 by 11-inch horizontal scrapbook page featuring a few bold photos and a clever quotation. At a copy shop, have your scrapbook page photocopied in reverse onto the Lazertran sheet using one of the Lazertran-approved printer/copiers listed on the package.

Step 2

Skip the package instruction to pre-bake the Lazertran sheet. Instead, remove the Lazertran decal from the backing paper by soaking it in a casserole dish filled with water. Slide the backing off, being careful not to rip the decal.

Step 3

Carefully turn the Lazertran decal over and apply it to the platter toner side down, so the image is no longer in reverse. Squeegee out all the air bubbles and water from under the decal. (Use a paper towel to keep the water from seeping back under the decal.) Sprinkle more water on top of the decal to keep the squeegee moving. Smooth out any wrinkles. Finally, clean the decal and the edges of platter with a damp cloth so no slimy adhesive residue remains.

Step 4

To fuse the image to the surface, heat the platter in the oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes, then increase the temperature to 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Finally, raise the temperature to 300 degrees and watch the decal closely. If a few bubbles appear on the surface, continue baking until they disappear. Remove the platter when the image “melts” and the finish has a hard, glazed appearance. Let the platter cool and wash it with warm soapy water. Then put your decorative platter on a sturdy plate stand and enjoy!

CRAFT HOW-TOS

DECORATING IDEAS

As seen in

Decorating Spaces magazine

Want to cook up some fun with your family photos? Use your favorite snapshots, and your scrapbooking savvy, to create a colorful design, then photocopy it onto special laser transfer paper and bake it onto a platter. You’ll dish up a decorative keepsake that’s sure to be a conversation piece.

Decal Do-Over: If your finished platter has spots in the image, there might have been air bubbles under the decal. Don’t sweat it, just give yourself a do-over. Use nail polish remover and a razorblade window-scraper to remove the baked-on image. Clean the platter thoroughly with soap and water, and start again. This time, squeegee without mercy. (But gently!)

Hot Art

As long as you’re cleaning the snapshots off your fridge, why not preserve your one-of-a-kind kid art, too. Bake a drawing onto a plain white tile, add a hanger to the back, and start your own museum of budding artists!

Take a Test Drive: No two ovens are alike, so get your platter timing perfect by doing a practice run. Just buy a few cheap plates at the dollar store, transfer some sample images, and note how long they take to bake in your oven. Now you’re cookin’!