Tray Chic!

Hi everyone, hope your year has gotten off to a good start so far!

I just love trays.  Whenever I'm out thrifting, I always keep my eye out for interesting and sturdy pieces that I can transform.  It's amazing what a little paint and tlc can do!

Whenever I come across well built pieces, even though they might not look too terribly attractive, you can be that I quickly scoop them up!

Do today I thought I'd share with you two trays that I just finished and added to my shop.

 While I don't always know just how I will transform each piece, with a little thought inspiration usually quickly comes!

I had so much fun with this little wood tray!

It wasn't ugly or anything when I found it, just plain wood.  I could almost hear it begging to be painted my favorite creamy dreamy shade of white!

I thought it would be fun to add this fork, knife and spoon graphic, that I found over at the Graphics Fairy.

 I cut them out by hand, then decoupaged on after painted and distressing the tray a bit.

I never need to be told to eat (hahahaha!), but thought the "bon appetit",

which I stenciled on by hand, would be the perfect addition.

 I was super excited to find this large and heavy wood tray, below, in the same thrifting expedition.

Again, it wasn't hideously ugly or anything (like many of the trays I find start out as!).

It was just plain ol' brown wood.

So I painted it the same shade as the tray above, then added one of my favorite Frenchy stencils, this pretty French patisserie sign.

 I just love all of the swirls and fleurishes.  I hand stenciled it in a dark midnight blue, which I thought was much less harsh than black.

 Tres chic!

 I've transformed many trays over the years, and thought I'd share with you some that I sold several years ago in my shop.

You know how much I love aqua.  I thought it was the perfect choice for this tray that had great curvy lines and pretty metal handles.

I decoupaged it with a French label, also from the Graphics Fairy.

 Sometimes I actually remember to take "before" shots!  Usually, I am so excited to get started with makeovers that I remember when it's too late!

 I added white little polka dots as fun accents, and glazed it to give an aged appearance.

 This little metal and wood tray is a real cutie, I think!

(check out the before, below.  Not so cute!!)

I painted it a bright and cheery aqua, then decoupaged copies of gorgeous floral vintage wallpaper, also from the Graphics Fairy,

 I nearly forgot I made the tray below til I was looking thru my photos.

I really love using vintage French book pages in my creations.  I decoupaged torn pages, along with these gorgeous vintage French rose prints (which were quite alot of work to cut out by hand!).

 This tray below was a favorite of mine, too.

(darn, I should have kept that one for myself!!).

It is solid wood and quite large, with great curved.

I found this darling bird image, again at the Graphics Fairy

(gee, I would be lost without Karen over at GF!), and decoupaged to the tray that I painted cream.

 Such sweet little birdies!

 Ok, last of all, a beachy themed tray.

I painted it my favorite aqua shade.

I don't have a close up of this one, but I decoupaged copies of vintage sheet music,

called "By the crystal sea", as well as this gorgeous mermaid.  Both found at the Graphics Fairy.

So that is it for now.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wishing you a creative and fun day!