Taking your pictures out of your frames and customizing your dishes is easier than you think. I wanted to create unique vegetable platters that would reflect the beauty of where they were grown and still be beautiful after the vegetables had been eaten. But vegetables aren't the only thing you could use, how about faces of your guests as a fun alternative to place cards? Or a scene of your snowy backyard for Christmas dinner.
I took a trip to my local craft store and found clear glass plates. Make sure they are food safe, many in the craft shops are not. I measured the bottom, flat part of the plate where the sticker would be. I brought the files I wanted to print on a thumb drive so that they could be printed at the craft store print center. I don't have a laser-jet printer, only a desk-jet at home and you really want something that will heat-set if you want these to last longer than one use. I selected a clear 8.5x11 vinyl sticker paper. Once they were printed I measured and then trimmed the pictures into circles to reflect the shape of my plate. If my plates had been square or rectangular, I would have gone that route. (and it probably would have been easier!) I then removed the backing from the vinyl sticker and carefully placed onto the bottom of the clear plate working out as many air bubbles as I could.
If you have a hard time finding sticker paper or a print center that carries it, another great option is to print onto vellum, trim into a circle and the place the paper between a clear and a white plate.
Sticker paper for printing at home on a laser-jet printer
Fedex Office Print & Ship Center
.50c/sheet to print at home if you have a laserjet printer
$2.50/sheet for print services
Quick Summary:
Print the picture of choice onto a sheet of clear sticker paper, trim or cut into desired shape and size, remove backing and place onto the bottom of the clear plate.
If sticker paper is hard to find, use vellum in its place and place between a clear plate and a white plate.
Other Ideas:
faces of your guests as a fun alternative to place cards
face of the birthday boy or girl as a baby
collage of school pictures for the graduate
scenes of snow laden trees for Christmas dinner
pumpkins or corn for the Thanksgiving feast
bunnies or chicks for Easter lunch