A wooden tray has many uses, including to serve a delicious meal.
Wooden craft trays can have many uses, but can sometimes look too plain. Decorating a tray in your own style requires minimal supplies and time. Consider it your own form of homemade functional art.
Instructions
1. Choose the craft tray. They come in many sizes and styles, so pick one that most appeals to you and that complements the rest of the décor in your home.
2. Choose the design. Consider going for a certain theme. One example can be a collection of sepia photographs similar in shade to the grain of the wood. Another option is to use craft sand all over the bottom, leaf appliques or pressed flowers.
3. Pick the materials. If using materials that are flat, such as craft sand or photographs, you can cover the entire tray with them as they will not cause anything placed on the tray to sit unbalanced. If using materials such as appliques or pressed flowers, you may only want to apply them toward the inside edges of the tray where they won't interfere with the balance of any dishes on it.
4. Prepare the craft tray. Even if you buy a new tray, it is still important to clean it off, especially in the corners where dust or debris can build up. Use a dry dust cloth, but avoid using any cleaning supplies, especially those with oil in them.
5. Apply a wood glue to the tray with a foam brush in a very thin layer in whatever area you want the materials, then quickly but carefully attach the decorations.
6. Apply a sealant over the materials. The sealant you use depends on the materials you've chosen. If you used craft sand you will have to use a spray sealant. For pressed flowers or leaf appliques, or any other cloth decorations, no sealant is necessary. If you used anything paper, such as photographs, use a foam brush and a matte sealant to put a coat over the entire tray.
