This Cricut Christmas DIY uses a Dollar Tree pizza pan, vinyl, and wooden half beads to create a “Treats for Santa” plate. Perfect holiday craft tutorial!

How to make a Santa pizza pan plate.

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Why I love this craft

This little project might have tested my patience, but it also reminded me why I craft in the first place to turn simple, inexpensive things into something magical. I love this Santa plate because it’s the perfect blend of charm and challenge (with a big payoff!).

The painted wooden beads give it that boutique feel, and despite the vinyl drama, the end result is a holiday showstopper. It’s the kind of project that makes me smile every time I see it.

supplies to make a dollar store pizza pan Christmas craft

Crafting with Dollar Tree Pizza Pans

Dollar Tree pizza pans have earned a permanent place in my craft stash. They’re affordable, sturdy, and incredibly versatile—whether you’re turning them into door hangers, magnetic boards, decorative trays, or in this case, a Santa’s treat plate.

What I love most is how well they adapt to different finishes: chalk paint, Mod Podge, vinyl—you name it. The flat surface is ideal for adding designs, and the rim makes it perfect for decorative touches like wooden beads or ribbon trim.

Video Tutorial: Santa Pizza Pan Plate

Watch this quick video to see how this craft came together:

Santa Pizza Pan Plate

Yield: 1 plate

Active Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Make a Dollar Tree pizza pan into a festive "Treats for Santa" plate! Get this Cricut-friendly Christmas DIY tutorial and step-by-step instructions.

Materials

1 Dollar Tree pizza pan
Chalk paint (I used BEHR Chiffon Cream)
Red adhesive vinyl (Dollar Tree brand used here)
Mod Podge (Matte finish)
15mm wooden half balls (about 30–36, depending on spacing)
Acrylic paint (I used FolkArt Matte - Christmas Red)

Tools

Cricut machine (to cut the SVG)
Contact paper (used as transfer tape)
Paint brushes (flat 1" brush or foam pouncer)
Painter’s tape or masking tape (for holding beads while painting)
Craft knife or weeding tool
E6000 glue (or your favorite strong adhesive)
Scrap cardboard (for painting station)

Instructions

Watch the video. Follow the tutorial for a step by step walkthrough on how to make a Santa pizza pan plate.
Spray paint pizza pan. Start by spray painting the Dollar Tree pizza pan using BEHR Chalk Paint in Chiffon Cream. Let it dry fully.
Add a coat of Mod Podge. My vinyl did npt stick well to the spray-painted surface. If you have this issue, apply a coat of Matte Mod Podge to the pizza pan surface. Let dry.
Cut and prepare vinyl design. Use Cricut Design Space to find a free "Treats for Santa" plate SVG. Cut it using red vinyl (Dollar Tree brand used here, but not highly recommended). Use contact paper instead of regular transfer tape to avoid pulling up your spray-painted surface.
Smooth on vinyl. Use a smoothing tool to transfer vinyl onto the pizza pan.
Add dimension with half wood balls. To give the plate that boutique, high-end look, I added 15mm red wooden half balls around the edge. Dry fit first, Stick them to painter’s tape (face-up) on a scrap piece of cardboard.

Paint them with FolkArt Matte Paint in Christmas Red using a brush from multiple angles. Let it dry completely.
Seal everything. Once the vinyl is in place and the paint’s dry, seal the whole tray with another coat of matte Mod Podge. This keeps the vinyl secure and adds a protective finish.
Glue on beads. Now dry fit the beads again for even spacing (yes, it's worth it!). Then, use E6000 or your favorite strong adhesive to glue each wooden half ball in place. Take your time — this part is repetitive but satisfying.
Display craft. Once dry, your DIY “Treats for Santa” plate is ready! It’s not food-safe, but it’s perfect for holiday decor, or as a tray to display Santa’s cookies and milk.