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Odd Napkin Out

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Once upon a time, I had almost 150 white napkins.  I used them for events that I helped with at church (like ladies luncheons or missionary conferences)…now they just sit in a drawer….begging to be used.  I can hear them at night when the boys have stopped smashing things with their monster trucks.  It sounds like a crying sheep stuck in a hole with a little bit of gagging inbetween sobs.

Armed with some craft paint, I set out on rescuing six little napkins from a lifetime of mundane vanilla and added a little spring to their step.  I am basically a hero now.  A hero of napkins.  They wrote me thank you notes later to tell me that I am the bombdotcom.  They also told me that I get weird when I don’t get any sleep.

Okay – so six ways to paint a napkin…but first…make sure your napkins are clean and previously washed and dried.  Then make sure your paint is good for fabrics (like the little tubes of Martha Stewart paint says it specificially on the bottle).  And then also set the paint after you painted it on…basically iron it.  I do it for 3-5 minutes with a medium hot iron on the reverse side of the napkin (no steam!) before using or washing.  Let’s get to painting!  

    

#1  – Pencil Eraser Stamping

This isn’t falling in love Juan Pablo…this is literally taking the end of the pencil, dipping it in a bit of paint and stamping it willy-nilly on a napkin.  Done and done.

#2 – Painter’s tape pattern

I used Frog Tape’s Shape Tape (I liked the scalloped version) to adhere the napkin directly to the table first.

Then with a tiny brush, I swept tape back and forth on the exposed parts till it looked like watery waves on my cloth.  No need for perfection…it’s so easy a preschooler could do it!

#3 – Sponge Stamped

I almost labeled this one Sponge Bob Square Stamp…but then I figured that it might induce seizures on all you over-worked moms out there.  You can thank me later.

This one is literally as easy as it sounds…one square(ish) sponge stamped in red for a checkerboard napkin fit for a picnic (or fit for the king ants that wish they could eat your lunch).

#4 Free handing stripes

It’s amazing how you don’t have to be perfect when drawing these little stripes on the edge of the napkin.  Just enough of a splash of color to give your plate a pop 🙂

I used a small craft brush and went over each line twice to get the desired saturation of color.

#5 Create your own stencil

This is so simple, you are gonna be stenciling your little hearts out by days end.

Any stiff cardstock will do…I grabbed one of these large paint chips because it was only three steps away (#winning)….then use an x-acto knife to cut your pattern.  I went with this little “sunset” look…aka “exploding helicopter” according to Will 🙂

 

Then using a pouncer brush, just stipple the pattern with your paint.  It’s really that easy.  And you won’t feel bad for tossing the paint chip that you never used anyway 🙂

#6 – Potato Stamping

Last but certainly not least, we have a little potato stamping action.  What?!  That’s right…pantry goods.  I also like the celery stamping but we eat more carbs than veggies here.  #momshame

Try to make sure you are well rested before this one 🙂

Taking a sharp knife, you want to carve your design into one half of the inside of the potato.  I did a simple pattern because well…me and sharp objects aren’t the best of friends.

  

Then you paint on the craft paint.  I did this with gold and it was a little hard to see how much paint I was applying (ummm…it’s called a Russet gold for a reason!).

After you have the potato loaded up, just press the stamp into the napkin and slightly rock the potato back and forth to make sure the edges get transferred.

Continue till you hate potatoes 🙂

There you have it folks…six simple napkins that are adding pizzazz into my life (and bread basket).

Have you been painting anything lately?  Napkins?  Art?  Fingernails?

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Comments

  1. Seriously…why haven’t I thought of this before?? I LOVE this idea! I have all these plain jane napkins sitting around. PLAIN be gone! 🙂

  3. Love this post as our current set of cloth napkins that we use everyday has reached the end of its life span. The kids wanted to decorate napkins. Now I just need to find a source to buy a large quantity of white napkins inexpensively. Any suggestions? Where did you get your napkins?

    Thanks!

  5. I love it! I have been wanting a very specific color/look of pillow cases for our bedroom and this is perfect! Any tips on specific paint for those white zip up ikea pillow cases I’m sure you’re seen a billion times. I don’t want to buy them and then ruin them with wonky paint.

  6. Seriously cute! I never would have thought of painting plain napkins but I’m totally going to stamp some painted apple halves on a few for summer and fall.

  8. I love that tape!! Makes life much easier (or at least crafting). Hope you’re enjoying all the newborn goodness!

  9. These are cute! Love the scallop and the dots! Adorable!

    Ok so now I have to ask- do you just have 6 random napkins now or will you make others to match? 🙂

  12. Fantastic ideas once again!! (Just one note, when you mentioned the frog tape napkin you said you “swept tape back and forth” I think maybe you meant paint? 🙂

  14. I actually use random napkins like this a lot (to serve appetizers or rolls or whatever) so I’ll probably make a few of them to have a set but keep the majority as singlets 🙂
    xo – kb

  15. I get mine at the discount section of Bed Bath & Beyond ($3.99 for eight) and then you can use your 50% off coupon so it’s $2 for eight making these a quarter a piece 🙂
    xo – kb

  16. I would use the Martha Stewart craft paint available at Michaels or a paint that specifically says it is for fabric 🙂
    xo – kb

  19. Where do you buy your napkins? Or… What brand are they? I don’t know what qualities to look for in a good cloth napkin, but I’d like to make the jump!

  20. Never mind, I see you answered the same question above. No comments had loaded when I submitted mine. 🙂

  24. Awesome deal! 50% coupon? Am I missing something?! I’ve only ever had 20% from that store and then the random $5 off.

  26. I am impressed you actually have different plates of food to display with each napkin. 🙂

  27. These turned out AH.MA.ZING! I think my faves are the pencil stamp and tape scallops. A++

  30. Cute. How in the world do you have two littles and a newborn and keep going like this?!?!?!? Kudos to you and your sweet family. (Don’t be afraid to take a break… and a nap.) 😉

  33. These are great! And your humour is hilarious. The potato and juan pablo comment totally got me. Almost lost my coffee via nose snort 😉

  35. What a great idea! Doesn’t it feel so good to be able to turn something old/that you’ve always had into a brand new item? Great job!

  38. I’m pretty sure that Sponge Bob Square Stamp is the best name ever. (Fact: I almost just posted Sponge BOD square stamp by accident… heehee! That accidental key swipe just made my day. I’m totally picturing Spongebob with muscles now. Yeah… I’m tired too.) 🙂

  39. Hey! It happens to the best of us, I just read and retread it a few times thinking, hmmm I wonder how she did that with the tape and then I realized maybe it was a typo:) sleep deprived moms FTW!

  44. Gel french manicure…they last forever for me and I don’t chip it the very second I leave the manicure place 🙂
    xo – kb

  45. I love your creativity! I also have to say (although I’m very happy and excited for you) thank you for continuing your regular posts that so many of us look forward to rather than making your posts all new baby all the time. Your new babe is adorable but I’d miss these posts! So this reader appreciates it 🙂

  48. So did you get your nails done or was it one of the gel kits?

    I have an 18-month old and am 20-weeks pregnant but your nails just made me realize, I got to try a bit harder. Maybe I will shave my legs AND do my nails 🙂

  50. Awesome! Oh that Martha Stewart and her aisle of tempting goodies. I could spend an entire paycheck just on her scrapbooking supplies haha.

  51. Hi Katie,
    Not sure if someone’s ask already but my question is about the food in one of your pictures, the meatloaf balls specifically. Would you be able to tell me the recipe for them? BTW I do love your designs but those meatballs caught my eye!
    Thanks!

  53. It’s just a basic and easy recipe that is for normal meatloaf. I just put it in muffin tins because it cooks faster and squirt ketchup on each one and sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over the ketchup. It’s not hard 🙂
    xo – kb

  54. Mine last three to four weeks…and I do believe that they are safe as long as your manicure place uses the right gel. And I don’t use acetone to remove them…I wait till they are grown out and then peel the gel off.
    xo – kb

  58. I think the sale of white napkins just went up. So easy to personalize and do exactly what you want. Now I just need to go get some.

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