Jazz-up household ceramics using vibrant summer colours and nature-inspired motifs

What you need...

• Paints: Marabu Porcelain Painters, green, yellow; ceramic, carmine red, ivory
  
• China: side plate, bowl, blue
  
• Fabric, pink gingham
  
• Ribbon, satin, aqua
  
• Edging, lace
  
• Thread, embroidery
  
• Card, white
  
• Paper, graphite
  
• Sewing machine
  
• Paintbrush

instructions

1. Bread Basket - 1 Cut gingham material into two 36cm squares. Trim four panels, 18cm x 7cm, and an 18cm square from white card. Fold and press a 1cm hem along one edge of both fabric pieces, on the wrong side.
   
   2 Trim eight 20cm lengths of aqua satin ribbon, then pin strands to two corners of each square, 9cm in, avoiding the folded edges. Place the fabric panels together with right sides facing and folded edges matching, then stitch around the three unpressed sides, leaving the fourth open. Turn the bag through to the right way and press.
   
   3 Stitch a line 7.5cm in from each side (the base being the opposite end to the opening). Slide one of the card panels into the base of the fabric
   square. Measure another 7.5cm up from the base and sew another line, trapping the card inside.
   
   4 Slide a further two rectangles of card into the bag, one down each side and push the square panel into the centre. Sew another line, 7.5cm up
   from the opening, then slide the final piece of card in place. Arrange the last two strands of ribbon 8cm in from each corner and edge stitch across the opening, securing them in position. To finish, tie the ribbons together to form the basket.

2. Plate - 1 Wash the plate thoroughly with detergent to remove any grease, then transfer the blossom design provided on the pattern pages. Place graphite paper between the china and template, then use a hard pencil to trace around the outline.
   
   2 Colour the twigs in green. Shade the small buds with carmine red, mix with ivory for the large flowers and leave to dry. Create pale pink by adding more ivory to the blend, then use this to highlight the centres of the bigger blooms and random dark buds.
   
   3 Encircle the pale pink centres with tiny yellow dots and ivory spots, as shown. Paint ivory highlights onto several of the petals and random buds. Wipe the pencil lines away, then leave to dry overnight. Bake the designs onto the china according to manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Bowl - Wash a china bowl in warm soapy water to remove any grease, then transfer the design, letting it lap over onto the inside, as shown. Colour and bake as for the previous project.