doodle platter

I've been sharing a lot of traditional pottery and glazing inspiration but with the holidays rapidly approaching I wanted to share a more accessible (and even last minute) idea for creating unique dishes! I love using creative and personalized dishes for entertaining and  gift giving.

While there are a lot of tutorials floating around about using a Sharpie on dinnerware (and then baking in the oven to set), I've found that the Sharpie technique doesn't hold up to washing or wear and tear. My favorite pen to use for decorating dinnerware is the Pebeo Porcelaine 150. It is non toxic pen that is permanent and dishwasher safe once heat set.

IMPORTANT NOTE: there is mixed information about the Pepeo pens not being food safe- While Pebeo states that their pens contain NO toxic ingredients, they do not recommend using them on surfaces that come into contact with food (confusing). After some extensive research, apparently they do not recommended on surfaces that you would eat off of with silverware. This is because the paint can be scratched or chipped with metal utensils and bacteria can grow under the edges of the damaged paint, causing sickness. 

Short story- use the pens at your own risk :)

THESE PENS are promoted as food safe pens if you are looking for another alternative. But the safest option is to draw on dishes that are only decorative or on the outside (of cups and bowls) or parts of dishes that will not come into direct contact with food.

With all that said I went ahead and created my platter thinking it would be a fun to use for a candle scape, cupcakes or even lined with a colorful cloth napkin and then piled high with dinner rolls!

I purchased a plain white platter and then used my pen to doodle and draw all over the surface.

TIP: if you are not comfortable drawing or doodling off the top of your head, try sketching out your design in a light colored water soluble pen. Then draw over the top with the Pebeo pen. Any remaining lines from your preliminary sketch can be wiped away with a damp towel.

Filling the entire surface like I did can take a lot of time but the end result is SO fun!

The last step is to let everything dry for 24 hours and then bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 300 degrees F. Once cool, your dinnerware is dishwasher safe!

I've got a couple more dishes Thanksgiving table next week- I love that simple materials can add a little art and creativity to a holiday meal!

P.S. I've got a fresh batch of handmade art journals over in the shop HERE