"M" is for Monogram

Happy "M" day everyone! We're officially 1/2 way through the A to Z Challenge! Amazing! I am still loving finding new bloggers and amazing things. This has been a wonderful experience. (I am thankful that this only comes once a year though, because I'm going to need the time to come up with 26 new projects for next year.)

Today "M" is for Monogram. I made a pile of monogrammed plates a while back using a technique shared in multiple pins on Pinterest. I'd love to give credit, but I don't know who the original creator was. So...I'll just share that I originally found the idea via Buzzfeed and their link to Sharpie Mugs by A Beautiful Mess.



Now...before we get started...I will tell you that this is not a fail-safe project. It's a touchy one. The first caveat here is that any project finished with this method should probably only be hand washed. Surviving the dishwasher is a hit-and-miss endeavor.

I purchased a set of plain white dishes. Some pinners have suggested cheap plates from the thrift store. I found mine on sale as a set over at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Wash and dry each plate. Though I didn't do it for this particular project, I learned later that the writing does hold up better if you also scrub the surface with rubbing alcohol prior to writing on it. This will help to either etch or remove the coating on the plates so that the marker can be better integrated into the ceramic. I don't really know the exact science of it, but that's what I've read. I'm not a plate designer or manufacturer so this is what I'm going with. Let's just say that I've tried the alcohol method and it does seem to make a difference in durability. Good enough? Okay, good.

I used my Pazzle to create a stencil for the words I wanted. You can totally do this freehand, but I hate my handwriting and I wanted a pretty font.

I did not use a Sharpie here. I have used it on other similar projects not pictured in this post, but it doesn't seem to hold up as well. Instead, I used a Martha Stewart Glass Paint marker. (FYI...Sharpie does make a line of paint markers that are oil based and probably work just as well.) The paint markers seem to meld with the surface of the plates better. It's all about durability here.

I did a bunch of different designs. Some using words, some using names. I did a whole set for Erin's family that has their last name in the center and a separate plate for each family member with their first name around the edge of the plate. (Those aren't pictured in this post since I don't really want to have the whole family's names floating around out here, but I liked them.)

Follow the directions on the markers you're using. For mine, I had to let the paint set overnight before baking. Then I popped them in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Finished plates can be hand washed after 72 hours. Though you probably would have a few survive pretty well if you used the alcohol method followed by the paint pen rather than plain Sharpie method, I don't think I'd test my luck. Stick with hand washing any of these items if you want them to last.

Thanks to all of you stopping by from A-to-Z Challenge! I love new readers. Make sure to leave me a comment below (including your blog address) so that I can return the favor by visiting you.