Under $10, Under 1 hour

**I'm writing about Spiritual Formation every day this month.

For today's Spiritual Formation post, click here. This is an extra post just for fun!**

Lately I've been a plate-painting fool. I've been loving the fun of taking ordinary plates and turning them into something fun.

First I made this decorative accent by stencilling the back of a clear plate, then spray-painting right over the stencil. This cost me nothing, because I just used materials I had on hand.

Next I made this footed plate using the same stencil-and-spray-paint method, but this time also gluing a candlestick to the bottom and spray-painting the entire bottom of the footed plate. My total cost for this was $1.99.

I'm eager to try this technique at Christmastime. I think I'll use glossy white spray paint for that one.

And I've just made a seasonal cake platter using this clear plate I picked up at Goodwill for just over a dollar:

I liked the wheat motif, but I wanted the plate to be a nice autumnal color. I simply flipped it over and spray-painted the bottom with Rustoleum's Cinnamon. Because I left the top untouched by paint, that surface is completely food-safe. Of course the paint could chip off the bottom, and I wanted to give this as a gift, so I attached a label to the bottom:

Doesn't it look pretty holding my chocolate chip pound cake?

I love to bake cakes for friends, and I like to present them on cake platters that my friends can keep and re-use. It's not always easy to find an affordable cake platter, but this one certainly filled the bill.

All three of these plates cost way less than $10 and each took just a few minutes of time. My kind of projects!

Melissa at 320 Sycamore is having her annual "Under $10 Under 1 hour" party today. You can find lots of inspiration there!