Make Your Own Faux Roses

Rose-y Greetings

You wouldn't believe that stamps made from a clean foam meat tray could create pretty cards. Use an X-acto knife to cut a small rectangle of the foam tray. Use a pencil to draw a rose pattern on the foam. When you're happy with the design, draw over the lines again to make grooves in the foam. Apply paint to the foam stamp and print.

Dinner Roses

Revive old mismatched porcelain or earthenware dinnerware with hand-painted roses in bright colors. Use Pebeo water-based colors for china and crockery and simply bake your finished work in the oven. Start by cleaning your dish well with rubbing alcohol. Any paint mistakes can be cleaned up with a Q-tip dabbed in alcohol. Clean brushes between colors with a paper towel or clean rag and be sure to dilute the paints only with Porcelaine 150 thinner. When you're satisfied with your painted design, let the paint dry for 24 hours. Oven bake the dishes for 35 minutes at 300-350 degrees F. If the paint should bubble during baking, scrape off the bubbled portion, clean, paint and bake it again after 24 hours.

Photos by Charles Brooks