How to Make Decorations Out of Napkins

Make decorations out of napkins and create something beautiful out of something boring and humdrum. Create a set of serving dishes and plates using clear glass dishes and paper napkins. This project is an easy decoupage technique, done in reverse on the back side of each dish by gluing a paper napkin to the surface. This allows food to be placed in the dishes, and the plates can be wiped clean afterward.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clear bowls
• Plates
• Candleholders
• Vase
• Paper napkins with design on all four quadrants
• Iron
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• Small bowl and water
• Sponge brush
• Spray sealer
• Glitter, if desired

1. Clean the dishes thoroughly. Make sure there are no fingerprints on the surface. Once the paper napkins are adhered to the surface, any fingerprints will be trapped.

2. Unfold the paper napkins and iron them to remove creases. Pull apart the plies of napkin layers. Cut the designs out of the printed napkin top. Cut 1-inch squares from the unprinted back layer of the napkin. Mix craft glue and water in a small bowl to the consistency of milk. Apply the glue to the back of a plate or bowl and to the outside of the candleholders and vase.

3. Apply the cut-out designs face-down on the back of the plates or bowl. You will be working in reverse. This means you'll place everything upside down and in backwards order so that when the plate is turned over, you'll see your design from the front. Place the 1-inch squares from the unprinted back layer of napkin over the top of the cut-out designs and fill in the rest of the area on the back of the plate or bowl. Apply the 1-inch squares from the unprinted back layer of napkin on the candleholders and vase. The candleholders and vase will not be worked in reverse. Place the cut-out designs face-up over the cut-out designs on the sides of the candleholders and vase.

4. Apply a layer of the glue mixture over the entire napkin-covered surface. Allow the glue to dry. If you want to add glitter to your decorations out of napkins, place the glitter on the glue before the napkin designs on the plates or bowl and after for the candleholders and vase. Apply a coat of spray sealer to the decorated napkin surface and allow it to dry. This will seal your decorations and allow you to wipe them clean after you use them.