Painted Ice Cream Bowl

I was tickled to find these adorable ice cream dishes at Dollar Tree. The shape reminded me of these cute bowls I had seen on Etsy.  Since the seller no longer offers them, I had been looking for a way to make my own.  I think I succeeded!  Here’s how you can paint your own retro inspired ice cream bowl.

Painted Bowl DIY
Project estimate:

  • Ice cream dish, $1
  • Chalky Finish Glass Paint in Everlasting, $1.77
  • Craft paint, on hand
  • Washi tape, on hand
  • White gloss glass paint (optional),  $1.77

Total:  $2.77 and up


supplies
Step one:  Paint the outside of the dish with the Chalky Finish Paint.  I did three light applications (letting each application dry before starting the next one) to achieve an even finish.  Use a wide, soft bristled brush for best results.

Step two:  Use a pencil to lightly draw squiggly lines for the edge.

Step three:  Mix a small amount of colored paint with some of the white Chalky Finish paint to create the other colors.  If you prefer, you can also purchase Chalky Finish paint in other colors.  I was trying to stretch my one bottle as far as possible!

Painting Stripes

Step four:  Use washi tape to make sections on the dish, as pictured.  Paint, then repeat.  The paint dries very quickly, so after you’ve finished one color, you can tape again and repeat with the second color.

optional step

Optional:  I wanted the lip to look like whipped cream, so I used a glossy glass paint to fill in the edge.  You can omit this step if you want to leave it a flat white.

Allow the paint to dry for 4 days, then you bake it according to the instructions on the bottle.  To be on the safe side, I hand wash my glass painted items and don’t put them in the dish washer.  They are usually fine, but sometimes over time, the heat from the drying cycle causes some of the finish to come off.

DIY Painted Dish

This would be a really fun activity for an ice cream social or ice cream themed birthday party.  Since the glass paint dries quickly, guests can paint their bowls, mingle while they allow the paint to dry, then fill them with yummy ice cream!  Have fun painting and creating!