The only thing lovelier than this cup and saucer is the original artwork that inspired it. Though the pieces appear to have been painted, they were in fact decorated with a transfer material.

What you need:
• Large cup and saucer, with a diameter of about 4 inches (10.1cm)
• Cloth tape measure
• Bleach and water
• Color photocopier
• Water-slide decal transfer paper
• Scissors
• Small, shallow tray or dish with plain water
• Small squeegee
• Craft knife
• Paper towel (if necessary)

What you do:
1. Beginning at one side of the handle, use a tape measure to find the circumference and height of the cup. The usable area of this cup (see photo above) measured 12 x 4 inches (30.5 x 10.1 cm). To remove any soap or oily residue, briefly soak the ceramic pieces in water with a small amount of bleach, and let them dry.

2. Measure the dimensions of the artwork, then calculate how much it will need to be reduced or enlarged to fill the cup's area. The size of the artwork shouldn't exceed the smaller of the cup's dimensions. (The flowers and stems of this original artwork measured 8 x 6 inches [20.3 x 15.2 cm]; they were reduced by 50 percent, to 4 x 3 inches [10.1 x 7.6 cm]). This allowed the design to be repeated three times around the cup. If you choose to embellish the saucer, make additional copies at the appropriate size.

3. Photocopy the original artwork onto the water-slide transfer paper. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for fusing the copy's toners.

Find more great craft ideas here.

Page 1 of 2 - find the rest of the tips for this craft on the next page.

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Excerpted from Making Crafts from Your Kids' Art by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader, Copyright 2004 by Lark Books. Excerpted with permission by Lark Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.4. Use very sharp scissors to trim closely around the images, leaving only a small margin. Cut small notches at curve points to allow the decal to be adjusted as necessary to fit the curve of the cup's surface.

5. Submerge a cutout decal in a shallow tray or dish of plain tap water until it floats free of its backing material, usually about one minute. Soak each decal only when you're ready to apply it.

6. Transfer the decal to the cup's surface. Use the squeegee to gently work air bubbles from the center of the decal out to its edges. It's important that the decal be in full contact with the ceramic piece's surface, so work under a good light, watching for the smallest bubbles. Use the craft knife to cut additional tiny notches at the edges so the decal follows the curves. Do the final smoothing with your finger or a dampened soft paper towel. The decal material becomes brittle as it dries, so treat it gently.

7. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to fuse the decal to the ceramic surface. For example, the pieces in this project were placed in a 150F (66C) oven for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven. Let the pieces cool in the opened oven, since decals may be fragile.

More great crafts for you and your kids:
Easy craft: Learn how to stencil a tote bag
2 ways to re-style a T-shirt
Make your own pretty stationary and envelopes
Cute crocheted duck

Page 2 of 2

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Excerpted from Making Crafts from Your Kids' Art by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader, Copyright 2004 by Lark Books. Excerpted with permission by Lark Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.