I went to the thrift store last week and came upon a $2 wooden tray with a neat shape. It was in need of some work, but I knew it could be special. Here’s what I did with it:

Isn’t it cute? It wasn’t so cute originally though! Here’s what it looked like before the makeover:

It was kinda dingy and really worn. So, I sanded it down and cleaned it. Then, I got to work transforming it!

I knew I wanted to do something bold, so I chose stripes. After painting the entire tray white and letting it dry, I began to measure and mark with a pen where I wanted my stripes to be. I then used masking tape to tape off the areas I wanted to keep white.

I decided I wanted my stripes to be 2 inches each. Here’s what the tray looked like once I had all of the stripes taped.

Next, it was time to paint my stripes. I used a rich, deep black, and began painting.

Once all of my stripes were painted, and before the paint dried, I removed the tape. (Always remove the tape before the paint dries or it will rip up the paint.)

I was super excited to see how great it turned out! I think it looks so chic!

I sealed the tray with a clear coat and let that dry. Once the tray was completely dry, I had a little fun arranging different items on it! You could really use this tray for anything….a serving tray, a vanity tray, magazine holder, etc. The possibilities are endless! Get creative!

Plus, black and white stripes also look great with pops of color! (like my aqua thrift store vase and yellow flowers from my yard!)

…or jewelry!

…even furry things look cute! (My best friend brought her adorable pup, Tucker, over to help!)

~ Virginia

www.livelovediy.com

For more fun projects please visit my blog.