How To Paint Buffalo Check Chargers

For the past couple of years I have admired the pretty pink and white buffalo check charger plates used on several fellow tablescapers tables.  I found a few online vendors that offered them in a set of 4 with prices ranging from $115.00 to $150.00.  They are available in a variety of pretty colors, but I could not bring myself to pay that for charger plates that I may only use a couple times a year.  I had purchased some white plastic chargers at Dollar Tree recently and hoped to paint those with pink Sharpies.    While shopping the clearance isle at HomeGoods a couple weeks ago I found round cork placemats.  A light bulb went off in my head and I got started on the project below.  

This charger was the inspiration for my hand painted chargers

Another vendor carries the rectangular placemats.  They start at $30.00 each.  

The cork backed placemat started with a printed lemon theme. 

I used white acrylic paint to cover the printed areas.  In a normal situation I would have spray painted all four outdoors, but here in So. Florida the rain kept me from painting outdoors as I do not have a covered area to keep them safe from the elements while drying.   

All printed areas fully covered.  

Once the paint was dry  I covered each placemat with white shelf lining paper.  I knew this would give me a smooth surface to paint.  I used a pencil to grid off each placemat to paint. 

Getting started with light pink first. 

The first coat of paint. 

The second coat of light pink. 

Then I filled in with the darker pink. 

I used a gold Sharpie to paint the edging. 

I added a top coat of matte finish polyurethane varnish to protect the paint.  

The completed placemat/charger.

Paint used in the project.
Deco Art Bubblegum Pink (light pink)
Deco Art Royal Fuchsia (darker pink)
Deco Art Dura Clear Ultra-Matte (top coat) 

I am so happy with the finished product.  Now, if I win the lottery the pretty little chargers at the top of the page will be on order in every color ASAP, but for now I'm very happy with my project. I have about $10.00 in the project so my savings will allow me to put the difference toward more beautiful plates on my wish list. 

I loved these so much I picked up more mats that were on clearance at HomeGoods and will be painting a couple other colors.   Hopefully I can spray paint white and the process will move along much quicker. 

This was the final place setting on my Havana Cocktail table.

 

Catherine