Make a Meaningful Gift

There is nothing like receiving a gift that is original and meaningful.  I love being asked to make a gift for a special commission, but it's even better if I can make something for a friend or loved family member, that they will treasure.

Recently, a very close friend turned the big five oh! I hope she doesn't mind me blogging about her age!  She's an amazing cook (and co-author of Monday Morning Cooking Club) and so I thought it would be extra nice to organise a 'foodie' type gift that could include input from a bunch of us girlfriends.

Everyone emailed me a couple of words they thought best described her, and I designed a decal that I applied to a lovely platter.  I ordered the special inkjet decal paper from Renascent College.   Before I printed on the decal, I printed a sample on paper to make sure my design looked good and fitted.

You need to use 3 coats of acrylic spray to seal the decal BEFORE you apply it to the receiving surface (in this case, the platter).  It takes a couple of days to get it together, as you need to wait 24hrs between the coats of acrylic spray.

To apply the finished decal, soak it for a couple of minutes in water  - very carefully.  Watch closely, because the paper curls up and you need to keep it flat.  You then apply the decal to the receiving surface, sliding off the backing paper very carefully, as it slips around a bit.  Use a sponge to soak up the excess water.

soak in water

slide off the backing paper.

 The finished platter looks excellent.

I also included a candle with the platter - as she lights up our lives just by being our friend!  I removed the label from the candle and added a personalised one.  You can do this on your computer, and as you can see, it's up to you how you put together your label.  I did some stitching, and added some twine and a couple of charms.

She was very touched, and it was really special being able to make something for her that was received with such excitement!