Vintage wooden tray with rope handles and feet

I love wood trays ... 

   

Especially of they have feet ... and they only cost 25¢.

 Really clever idea ... 

but ... that was not pretty enough for me. 


so ... i removed the dated decals ...

painted it turquoise ... 

... added wooden twist molding to the little side boards to tie in with the rope handles.

did a little distressing ... 

and added a French graphic from 

Karen at Graphic Fairy ... (thanks Karen) ...

also check out her methods of transfers. 





I reverse printed it with my ink-jet printer on the waxed side of freezer paper. This lets the wet ink just sit on top of the paper ... I wiped the tray with a damp cloth to slightly dampen it. If you get it too wet, the ink will just smear.

I know ... had to start over once. (quick learner) ...

Carefully lay the print face down and don't let it move. Rub the freezer paper until the ink transfers to the tray. You can use the back of a spoon to rub with. I think I just used my fingers and the back on my fingernails. I carefully checked several times to be sure the tray was accepting the ink.
 The transfer was good, but I wanted it a little darker, so I used a fine point uni-ball roller ink pen to go over the letters.

For the curly shadow around the letters, I used a Paper-Mate sharp-writer #2 pencil. 

I was surprised how well that turned out.

Makes a real pretty tray for display.  

Thanks for the visit.
Hope you will leave a note to let me know your were here.

Linking to:

Distressed Donna Downhome Make-it-Monday-#5
 


Revisionary Life ...
Thirfty Life Thursday

Thrift finds worth blogging about.

I always seem to find something useful or enjoyable every time I shop the thrift stores. I don't always get around to doing something useful with them, so most end up in my to-do section.

Here are a few things that I made time to work on the last few weeks.

 I thought this brass vase had a nice shape ... almost like a trophy. It just needed a little wire brushing and it was ready to paint. 
It was 25¢ at my favorite shopping place. 
Fabulous Finds Thrift Store

I am loving this color by Valspar that I got at Lowe's. 
If I tire of this, I could paint it silver and make believe it is a trophy.  

Looks pretty with
loosely placed  
cuts of  
 
Snow on the Mountain wild flowers and a little Sweet Annie.

Pretty handle too.













Sweet little painted chair to add to my collection. $2.00

I love to use these for displaying pictures or other objects. 

 

Beautiful antique shelf ... hang or sit. 

notice the unusual metal straps to hang it. 

 Love finding vintage stoneware and pretty little birds. 

Little oval plates are vintage Buffalo China restaurant ware. 

Beautiful bird is pottery. 

Bird was $2.00  and $15.00 for the eight plates.

From an Estate sale ... I just wanted the jade green pitcher, but just could not pass up the kitchen stuff. The measuring spoons are extra long, unusual and marked U.S. STD.

Hope you are finding some interesting stuff. 

Tomorrow Estate sales should be exciting.
Blessings,
Audrey Z. 

Please visit these interesting parties.


Revisionary Life: Thrifty Life Thursday