"Special" plates

I've wanted to make a "Special" plate for a long time - you know, a plate that someone in the family would get eat on when they've done something special, like get straight A's, get picked to be in a play, had a paper published, etc. Back in December we took the kids to paint pottery and I decided then and there that I wasn't leaving until I accomplished my goal.

Those who know me well know that I suffer from indecisiveness, which is why it has taken me so long to get a special plate in the first place. So, I sat there looking through the idea books and then I looked again and again until I finally came up with a plan. It involved using the kids thumb prints in order to make it more meaningful to everyone. After borrowing their thumbs and staying until closing time 6 hours later (Adam took the kids home and came and got me later), this is what I came up with. I was pretty pleased with it, even though it isn't completely perfect.



I made two thumbprints per child of things that they liked and it's fun that they chose things that really remind me of them, like Ethan really likes frogs and aliens, so those match him to a tee. They enjoy pointing them out when it's their turn to use the plate.

I'd love to see any special plates the rest of you use. Please share!
-Paula


Here is my Special Plate Paula!  We also went to a pottery place a few months ago and great minds must think a like because that is what I have been wanting to make for a long time too. 

I  put different widths of tape down to create the white stripes and painted a crackle red and a straight red glaze inbetween. Then I peeled off the tape and wrote the words on the big white stripes.I pain stakingly did all the lettering with a brush and found out after that you could do that with a small squeeze bottle that had the glaze in it! So the lettering is not perfect, but I still like the result anyway.

-Michelle