Sponge-Painted Placemats by EvaLoiseBrooks

Rating: Child +

Description:
Personalized Placemats. Great for holidays, or everydays. Adults can do it too.

Uses:
Wonderful gifts for holiday guests. Let them take them home. Fun for the whole family to do together.

Side Note: Everybody say a big "thank you" to Crafty's mommy, Eva. She contributed this wonderfully crafty idea.

Here is a list of things you will need to do this project:

Sponge shapes (cut them out yourself, or buy them in a craft store)

Thin-tip Markers (optional)

Plain light-colored fabric placemat

Fabric paint in appropriate holiday colors

Puffy paint (For writing names, initials, or personal messages)

Wax paper or a dropcloth (to keep the mess to a minimum)

Putting it all together:
	Cover the work area with the dropcloth or wax paper and tape it down.
	lay out 2 or three colors of fabric paint in disposable containers
	Dunk one side of a sponge shape into a paint color and press it lightly against one of the inside sides of the container
	Press the sponge lightly onto the placemat in the pattern you think looks best. Re-applying paint to the sponge, or switching sponges when you think it is best. Leave a corner blank.
	Touch up any mistakes with paint of the appropriate color, outline the sponge designs with a thin marker if you want.
	In that blank corner, write the name or initials of the Guest or child who will be eating on it.

Hints and Ideas:
Dress it up a bit. Hot-glue bows and buttons onto the mat where appropriate. Use some gold cording or ribbon and hot-glue it around the design. If the placemat has a ruffle on the outside edge try gluing lace onto it. Try not to use any really lumpy decorations on the very center because the plate has to sit there. For Thanksgiving try a pattern of autumn leaves with a "Hand Turkey" on it. For Christmas, Candy Canes are REALLY easy to do.Spray on a layer of clear acrylic before hotglueing anything to it, to preserve the mat surface. If you want a glittery oversheen, use glittery clear spray acrylic.

I hope you have fun with this craft and let me know how it turns out. If you're having any trouble with it, let me know and I'll be glad to help you.