DIY Blog Challenge-Thrift Store Makeover

 

I am so excited! I have joined up with a number of other DIY and Crafty Bloggers to participate in a monthly DIY Blog Challenge. Our first challenge was to upcycle an item of our choice from a thrift shop. I couldn’t wait to jump right in.

 

Down to Goodwill, I went. It was a banner day, I found too many things but most of them were for Halloween projects so I will be doing them later this year.

 

I did, however, find a metal tray that I really liked the lines on and it was only $2.99. It looks like it was probably the base of one of those big food gift baskets that are sold at Costco around Christmas time. The ones where you get all the fancy foods and then you have this odd container floating around the house that you have no idea what to do with it so it ends up at Goodwill.

 

I had an idea for the tray but I went to my nearest craft store and spent an hour combing the aisles for just the right accoutrements.

My first stop in the store was in the aisle with the drawer pulls. There were several different ones that I liked but these grabbed me from the start.

 

Then I had to find a lining for the inside of the tray. My original thought was a mirror but I couldn’t find one to fit the exact dimensions of the tray. Then I found a gorgeous tin tile but it seemed too busy to pair with the tray. Moving on, I found a few selections of scrapbook paper. I wanted to wait until the tray was painted to decide on which paper to use so I bought three different ones.

Materials

• Chalk Paint – 2 colors
• Drawer knobs – 4 used as feet
• Rub n’ Buff
• Scrapbook paper – enough to cover the bottom of the tray
• Mod Podge – or any decoupage glue
• Polycrylic sealer – your choice of sheen, I used satin
• Jewelry findings for embellishing the outside of the tray
• Brushes – I used sponge brushes and a chip brush
• E6000 glue – or an industrial glue of your choice

 

To start, I cleaned the tray with a bit of soap and water and took the stickers off. Then I roughed up the paint a bit with a foam sanding block.

 

 

The idea in my head was to layer the chalk paint with the turquoise on the bottom and the white on top so I could distress the tray and the turquoise would show through. As I began painting the tray, I was loving the turquoise.

I wanted more than just peeks of the turquoise and decided to dry brush the white over the design relief to keep more of the color. I need more color in my life anyway. 🙂

While the outside was drying, I added the feet. My sweet husband cut the posts off of the drawer knobs.

I used E6000 glue to adhere them into the corners of the upside down tray.

After an overnight of drying, I painted the inside of the tray white but only the sides.

Painting the inside of the tray white helped me with my paper choice. I picked the checkerboard because it made me think of Alice in Wonderland. I think it gives it a touch of whimsy.

Unfortunately, the paper did not fit the bottom of the tray and I had to match the pattern. It took a bit but it wasn’t too bad. I used Mod Podge to glue it down.

I left it to dry. During my long trip at the craft store, I found black Rub n’ Buff. The rope detail around the entire top was the perfect spot for it to tie the top together with the feet. Since I want to use the tray on my bureau for odds and ends, I sealed it with a satin Polycrylic from Minwax.

I love it! I took pics and was happy. BUT…something was missing, something just a little extra. I took off to the craft store again.

Scouring the jewelry making aisles, I found a metal filigree piece that would make the tray perfect.

To top that I added a small crystal to the front. It really pulled the whole look together.

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite pieces I have made yet! I can’t wait to use it on my bureau when we move into our new home.

 

Check out all the other great projects in the #DIYBlogChallenge

 

 

Makes, Bakes and Decor

Cassie Smallwood

From Evija With Love

Happiness Wherever

Makings of Mine

Eps and Amy

 

I am linking up to these parties.

I am not affiliated with any of the products I used, I merely mention them so you can achieve the same results I did.