It's been awhile since I've run a how-to article, but this one from Etsy Storque just begged to be posted. It seems pretty simple to do, doesn't cost a forture, and it looks like a lot of fun.  I think a hand painted cup or bowl or plate or something would make a great Mother's Day gift.  And you've got plenty of time get it done.

As I settle in to compile this week's How-Tuesday post, the world outside my window looks like a flustered snow globe, with whipping winds and a frigid fog of white. On days like this, I wish for nothing more than to cozy up at my craft table with a pot of tea and a few supplies, to follow my notions and fleeting little ideas down a mysterious garden path in my mind and see where I end up. I have admired Aya Rosen's artwork and art-infused life since watching the LoucheLab's Love Story video a couple years ago.The project she shares with us today could serve as a springboard to transforming your own art style into a new medium. I know that after reading her how-to, I am ready to get started decorating dishware for my new apartment!

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This little project is really fun to make! It’s pretty simple, not very messy, and rather inexpensive. You don’t need any special tools and it makes a wonderful gift. In fact, I discovered this painting method a few years ago when making a vase as a gift for my mom. Usually my designs are rather complex and take some drawing skills. For this project I was trying to see if I could make something cute without a complicated illustration, and instead, get a cool design by just using a simple shape over and over again.

So, let’s get going!

This is what you’ll need:

• A piece of china to paint. It may be any white china, ceramic or porcelain. In this case it"s a cup and saucer.
• 1 fine tip Pebeo Porcelaine 150 marker. I used 08 Anthracite Black.
• A few colors of Pebeo Porcelaine 150 paint. I used 43 Ivory, 18 Sapphire Blue, 20 Turquoise, and just a tiny bit of 05 Coral Red, 01 Citrine Yellow, 10 Tourmaline Red.
• A paint brush or two, a pallet to mix paint on (I use a plate) and a few cotton swabs to fix mistakes
• Rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner
• A standard kitchen oven to bake the piece and set the colors

The first thing to do is to clean the piece with rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner to remove any fingerprints or grease. Next, if you have never used the marker, you must “start” the paint to flow. The way to do this is to shake it well for about 30 seconds, then press the tip to a piece of paper and pump it, until the paint starts to flow.

Once it starts to flow begin to draw on your dish. The cup I chose has a scalloped pattern around the rim, which made me think of clouds, so the shape I chose for this set was a raindrop. I framed the area I wanted to draw on with a black line, and then I drew rain drops all over the cup. The marker paint dries to the touch in about 5-10 seconds.

I drew the same design on the saucer.

I had an idea to draw a small design in the middle of the saucer — something that would not be seen when you pour the tea, but would be a surprise when you lift the cup! At first I thought about a sun, but then I decided to draw a rainbow instead.

And now for the fun part! I used a medium sized brush to paint the inside of the raindrops. The first color I used was Sapphire Blue. First, mix the paint well before you start painting. Do not shake the paint, as this will cause bubbles that will be transferred onto your piece. The consistency of the paint is nice and thick straight from the bottle, but if it’s too thick for you, add a tiny bit of water. I painted about ¼ of the raindrops in this color.

What happens if you go out of lines or mess up? No problem! If the paint is still wet, simply wipe it with a cotton swab or a tissue. If the paint has dried, use a moist cotton swab with a bit of alcohol. If the whole thing is a big disaster and you want to start over, just wash the dish with warm water or rinse with rubbing alcohol and dry well before starting over.

What I really love about the Pebeo Porcelaine 150 paints is that they mix together very well. You can do a lot with just one or two colors. For the next bunch of drops I mixed the sapphire blue with some ivory to make light sky blue.

I painted another ¼ of the raindrops with the light sky blue, then switched to white, and then switched to turquoise mixed with a little bit of white. What’s important to remember is to rinse the brush and wipe it dry on a towel to remove excess water between the different colors, especially when switching to and from white.

After I finished the raindrops I switched to a very fine tip brush and painted the rainbow. I used a mix of yellow and red to make the orange, and a mix of yellow and blue to make the green.

That’s it. All of the painting is finished!

So, what now? It isn"t time to use it yet. The colors are completely removable with warm water until the piece is baked. Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours. Then, place it in a cool oven directly on the middle oven rack and set the temperature at 150°C or 300°F.  When the temperature has been reached, set the timer for 30 minutes and bake. Once complete, turn off the oven and allow the piece to cool down gradually before removing. Now you are really finished! Your cup and saucer are ready to use. Enjoy your tea!

A few more tips...

• The fine tip markers may become plugged. To prevent this, always replace the cap immediately after using, even if you are just taking a short break. Also, be sure to store them horizontally. If it does get plugged, take the tip out and soak it in hot water for a few minutes and dry well.  If the plug doesn’t release, repeat this and blow through the tip.

• When baking the dish, don’t pre-heat the oven. The difference in temperature may cause the china to crack. Instead, put the dishes in the cool oven, then turn the oven on.

• It’s very tempting to get a million color paints and use all of them on the same dish, but I’ve had the most aesthetically pleasing results with using only a couple of colors on each piece.

• The paints are translucent, which means that white or light colored china works the best. If you want the paint to be more opaque, simply mix it with a little bit of white (43 Ivory), or place a base coat of white (43 Ivory) under the color.

• Of course, you don’t have to draw raindrops if you don’t like them. A few other simple shapes that might work equally well are: hearts, polka dots, stars, doodles and random lines, animals or text. You can make this extra special by adding the name or initials of the recipient of the cup and saucer!

LoucheLab"s Love Story | More How-Tuesday Posts | Ceramics & Pottery on Etsy

Used to be I thought of pom poms as no more than props for cheerleaders.  But this piece from Etsy Storque, by Amity in London, has given me a whole new pom pom outlook.  This is just too much fun!

I’m all for a little stylish frivolity, especially at this time of year when, let’s face it, we all need a bit of cheer to get us through the bitterly cold and grey days.

Enter the pom pom (a.k.a. pom pon), a funny little ball of fluff we can all remember making at nursery school. Show me something more outrageously fun and, dare I say it, unexpectedly sophisticated to liven up my winter wardrobe in a jiffy and I’ll eat my ear warmers.

February has a habit of dragging its heels and I can’t think of a better way to put smiles on the faces of my fellow Londoners than donning a colourful fur ball or two.

Photo by sunchineupton on Flickr

Art student and blogger, Milla, goes the folk route with an amazing oversized scarf. Capturing this look is about the colour combinations, which can work in both bright and muted tones.

Photos via Marie Claire

All in the best possible taste — Givenchy shows us how bubble-shapes are done in their Spring/Summer 2010 Couture Collection. If I happened to have a ball to go to (see what I did there?) then either of these looks would be adequate. Absolutely stunning designs with a hint of surrealism, which is just how I like my high-end fashion.

Photo via Alicia on Flickr

Speaking of surreal, how delicious is this scene from Alicia (who also happens to be one half of the Etsy shop duo sirenaconjersey)? It"s like something out of a Pedro Almodóvar film, I keep waiting for these two to have a furious argument, hug and then start a restaurant business together.

Photo via Duckie Brown

Duckie Brown introduced the oversized male pom pom hat for Winter 09/10. Absolutely phenomenal. Nuff said.

Photo via Style Bubble

UK funstress, Susie Bubble, never fails to bring playfulness to our computer screens, which is why we love her so. Just delightful here in a neon Topshop jumper. As she admits in her blog post, this is one weighty style statement, but it"s well worth the effort in the cheer stakes.

Photos via Chris Benz

Chris Benz"s 2010 Collection carries us into spring. I"m loving the use of colour here. Is it just me or is this a bit Kelis circa "99?

Photo by sharkseason on Flickr

I must be kidding, right? Well excuse me, but this photo from Visual Artist and MFA Fibres student, Suzen Green, was too fun to pass up. Why merely accessorise with pom poms and fluffy things when you can embody them?

Style Posts | The UK Edition

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Go to Handmade Lookup.

From Etsy Storque:

With New York Fashion Week at full speed, and the untimely loss of industry favorite Alexander McQueen, today's finds consist of emerging fashions on a global scale.  This array of avant-garde designs was nominated by Etsy's community. Join in the fun and vote for your favorite item from this collection today! The top five picks will be featured on Etsy's home page Friday, February 19.

The fashion vote will be open from February 12, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. ET until February 18, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. ET. Visit Etsy's Voter to choose your favorites from a variety of themes and collections.

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

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