(by the way, I am NOT left handed, I was holding the camera in the right hand and so the only free hand was the left one )

You need:

- napkin varnish (avaible in craft shops)
- a brush
- old newspaper (to cover everything for not having a BIG mess)
- napkins with pretty pictures
- something where you want to add the pictures (in this case a pointeshoe)
- a palette or something similar to it (I used the package of candy)

The pictures explain how to do it, you can PM me or write into this thread if you have questions.
BE CAREFUL with the napkins. You only use the layer wher the picture is printed on it and this layer is VERY thin. It also becomes wet because of the varnish. This causes the napkin to rip into pieces very easily. So be careful with it.
You can also cut out the pictures with scissors, but I prefer the look of the ripped out motif, that´s why I did it this way.

Kathy

Yay!!!!!!! Tutorial!!!

You are have so much ingenuity. I can't wait to try this out but I'll have to wait till my second pair of pointes die.

Just a suggestion: It might look prettier with no napkin covering the platform of the pointe shoe. First of all, it looks as if the napkin is bunching up there and secondly, at least with the pair you used, there was no satin on the platform, so having napkin looks a bit strange... It might look better on a different pair with satin on the platform though!

Love,
tutuless

Thanks ! I'll try it once my pointe shoes are ruined. I just got a knew pair though and they are only my first pair.

Love DancinMad_Kayley

Uhm, tutuless, do you have bad eyes?
There is no napkin on the platform in this case (I DID create some pointes with napkin on the platform, but not here.)
What you can see is the rest of the satin.

Kathy

Wow thanks so much!! And it seems like you went into lots of trouble to do the tutorial. Thanks again. I can't wait to try it.

kathy, thank you SO much!!!

what are some examples of other things you can use the napkin technique on?

you're so talented!

You can decorate nearly everything that is hard. Wood, porcelain, plastik,...
Wood that doesn´t has varnish on it yet works best.

Kathy

wonderful, i think i might do it to my ballet barre.. does it work on painted wood? (i painted the wood myself and it's a flat surface)

Yes, it would work on your barre. It works better there when you paint everything with the varnish three or even four times. (You wouldn´t want everything to rub off when you do your training!)

Kathy

Then get the stupid satin off, it's burning my eeeeeyes!!! *runs around yelling*

wow this is great can you do this with material or other fabrics etc
great cant wait to try
thanks
jessthack

It works best on not painted wood or ceramic (surfaces that are flat but where the varnish can go inside a tiny bit). For fabric it isnt that good, only if you use things that are more stiff and do not bend that much. The frbaic CANNOT be washed after doing it anymore!

If you decorate wood or ceramic for example you can clean it with a wet fabric later and if you don´t rub too extremly nothing will happen.

Kathy

They look so cute! I'm gonna get out my dead pointe shoes and have a go!

I love that idea! It's so cute! Thanks for sharing. And you were nice enough to include the directions and pictures!

Yay something to try as soon as I'm able to part with a pair of my pointes..lol I don't want to hurt them! Yes, I'm insane! ha ha And I too thought that there was napkins on the platforms...*stupid eyes, stupid!*

So basically, the "napkin technique" is... decoupaging. I *heart* decoupage.

That is the coolest thing in the world!!!!!!! I have to try now. Thanks for the tutorial!

That is so beautiful and unique!

I never would have come up with such an insane idea.

It's sooo cute!

ForgottenPlie

well done kathy!!! a friend and i tried that, but with normal varnish, TRUST ME DONT DO IT!!! IT DOESNT STICK!!!we glued glitter on too, and that looks really pretty. its sooo much fun!!!

Those are the cutest!! Do you think they'll work on old Irish dance hardshoes? They're leather... what do you think? I'll be very jealous if you say no.
~Chelsea~

the best material is something where the varnish can soak into. I´ve never tried leather, you can try.

But aren´t Irish shoes black? Then I´m sorry - it will not work. The background needs to be light, white is best, but the pink of pointes workes well also (as you can see here).

Kathy

this is a really cool idea.i did that once on wood but i dint thinck that you can do that on point shoes to.its so cute.thanks so much for sharing.but first i got to get my hands on some died out point shoes

there soo kool i love it and really want to try it xxx