DIY Decoupage Metal Tray Stand

 It's that time again for The Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge on the fourth   Thursday of each month! Here, a group of creative bloggers come together to   share their lovely transformations of a thrift store item. Who doesn't love thrift   store upcycle projects - whether it's actually creating one or admiring how an   item from a thrift store was transformed!                                                       

       The Rules:

• Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
• There's no monthly theme.
• There's no budget to stick to.

One of the fun things about shopping at thrift stores is that you never know what you're going to find that day - like this embossed aluminum tray ($3) and a tumbler ($1) that actually matched - omg, just by luck! The guy at the checkout said the tray looked like a giant soda cap - I guess because of the curved ridges! Too funny!

Anyway, my idea was to combine the two items into a lovely decorative accent piece or accessory using napkins to decoupage onto them.   Perfect to hold just about anything you can imagine - like appetizers, baked goods, decorative fillers, or holiday knick-knacks, to name a few! 

Materials used:

Tray and tumbler (stand)

Decorative paper napkins

Mod Podge - matte

Soft paint brush

Scissors 

Sandpaper

RapidFuse All Purpose Adhesive

Let's get started by cleaning and washing the tray and tumbler with mild dish detergent like Dawn to remove grease and or stains and dry. Then separate the design layer of the napkin from the plain white layers. To separate, I lightly dipped my finger in Mod Podge and tap my thumb and finger together,  placing the corner napkin edge between them to separate the layers.  

Then lay the napkin design down on the outside bottom of the metal tray for fit. Since the tray is round, cut slits around the bottom of the napkin for a smoother adherence. The napkin doesn't quite cover the bottom, but I'll work on one piece at a time. 

Next, apply a layer of matte Mod Podge onto surface. Place napkin on top smoothing out from the center to edges using a soft brush.. Apply additional MP while smoothing out wrinkles. I like to dip my finger in MP to also help smooth out wrinkles, too. Sometimes I use plastic wrap to help smooth wrinkles out but this napkin seemed too thin and would probably lift up or tear, so I didn't use it this time.

Also, since the napkin didn't cover the bottom completely, after the first portion of napkin dried,  I matched up the pattern with an additional piece of napkin covering a little bit on top and on the side, and let that dry, too. The best part, you can't tell where it was pieced together!

Once the napkin was completely dry, it was easier for me to cut off the excess napkin using scissors first before using sandpaper on the edges.

And finally, apply additional layers of Mod Podge to seal. 

Next, decoupage the tumbler following the same steps, as before.

And don't forget to seal the tumbler with additional layers of Mod Podge, too!

The tumbler edges seemed too narrow for a good seal so it was easier to glue the bottom of it onto the center of the tray.  I use DAP RapidFuse Adhesive to glue the tray and tumbler (stand) together. It sets up in 30 seconds and has a permanent seal. Hot glue does not!

Don't you just love how the metal shows through the floral napkin - as if the flowers were handpainted on! Too cool!

What a lovely thrift store find transformation!

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post also contains affiliate links.  I may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra.  The affiliate money I earn per month helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

Check out more thrift store challenge creations!

Meet the Hosts

Angela | Simply Beautiful By Angela - Meredith | Southbound Blog 

 Jenny | Cookies Coffee and Crafts - Angie | Grandma Creates 

 Gail | Purple Hues and Me  - Chas | Chas' Crazy Creations  

 Habiba | Craftify My Love  - Kathleen | Our Hopeful Home 

    Ann | Duct Tape and Denim

Make sure you follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!

And now for more thrifty goodness!

Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Purple Jute Spoon Flower

Welcome to the April Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop hosted by Erlene @ My Pinterventures.  If you aren't familiar with the Pinterest Challenge, it's a monthly event that challenges us to not just be pin hoarders, but to make it happen!

I try to be very selective when I pin a craft and not go willy-nilly pinning everything I come across. After all, I truly like what I pin and am very interested in trying to make a version of it one day.  Everyday I look at my stats on Blogger to see which of my posts are popular and I noticed anything I made with jute, twine or burlap continues to have the highest pageviews.  So naturally I'm always looking for interesting crafts that uses these materials. 

I came across this video sometime ago on Pinterest that actually uses a spoon to make twine petals to form a flower. Amazing! There is no talking - I believe it's foreign and I was fascinated watching the video. I knew I had to try making it one day! That day has come, and the best part, I had everything I needed to make one in my stash!

Jute Spoon Flower

• Colorful twine
• Aileene's Tacky Glue
• Spoon
• Plastic craft tweezers
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Hot Glue
• Parchment paper
• Floral stem wire and tape

I'm using what's call a soup spoon, but you can use any size spoon you like! Just keep in mind, the bigger the spoon, the bigger the flower and vice versa. 

First, spread a generous amount of tacky glue around the edge of the spoon bowl. Then take the end of twine and place it on the bottom center of the back of the spoon bowl where the handle meets and hold it in place with your finger. Begin wrapping the twine around the edge of the spoon .  .  .

adding tacky glue on the spoon as you wrap. Use plastic tweezers to keep the twine rows together and flatten them down into the glue.

Continue wrapping the twine around and adding glue to the spoon until it is completely covered. Cut off excess twine when you reach the center. Dab extra glue to center twine to hold down.  Then, wait a few minutes for glue and twine to set up.

Next, lift wrapped twine petal from spoon being careful to keep it together. 

Lay the petal on parchment paper to dry with the spoon touching side facing up. Make several more petals - five to six per flower.  I thought I could make lots of petals to make more than one flower, but found making petals to be quite time consuming. Unfortunately, I had several projects going on at the same time so one flower is all I could do at the time. 

Make a small pom pom with yarn for the flower center - by wrapping yarn around two of your fingers .  .  .

and tying it off with a small piece of yarn .  .  .

then cutting the loops in half.

Fluff and shape pom pom. Attach with hot glue to floral stem wire that is folded in half together and wrapped with floral tape.

To form the flower, add hot glue to base of petal and squeeze together like a scoop and let dry.

Once all the petals are formed, begin hot gluing on, one by one, to the floral stem wire and bottom of the pom pom. 

Make sure the bottom sides of the petals are touching and glued together as you add each petal .  .  .

until the flower is formed.

Makes for quite a unique and fabulous look, don't you think! Now to make lots more!

To join next month's #pinterestchallenge, click here to sign-up ⇒ May Pinterest Challenge

Let's meet this month's Pinterest Challenge hosts!

Erlene - My Pinterventures  •  Jenny - Cookies Coffee and Crafts 
T'onna - Sew Crafty Crochet  •  Julie - Sum of their Stories 
Erin - The DIY Nuts •  Roseann - This Autoimmune Life 
Beverly - Across the Boulevard •  Kristie - Love My Little Cottage 
  Cherryl - Farm Girl Reformed 
Leslie - Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After •  Terri - Our Good Life
Lauren - Mom Home Guide  •  Joanne - Our Unschooling Journey 
Shirley - Intelligent Domestications  •  Gail - Purple Hues and Me 
  Kristie - Teadoddles  •  Alayna - Alayna's Creations  
 Susan - Suzerspace   •  Lydia - Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen   
Terrie - Decorate and More with Tip  •   Emily - Domestic Deadline  
Marci - Stone Cottage Adeventures

Now, let's see what the other hosts have created ⇓⇓

An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome, Spring Features

A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined us in welcoming Spring this year! There were so many wonderful projects, ideas, creations and inspirations shared!

Today the co-hosts are featuring some of their favorite posts from the party! And we hope you'll visit each one to check out all of their features, too!

Across the Blvd | Purple Hues and Me

Our Unschooling Journey | Sew Crafty Crochet

Cookies, Coffee, and Crafts | This Autoimmune Life

Stone Cottage Adventures | Two Chicks and a Mom

Domestic Deadline 

Plaster Easter Egg Vases

I was so excited to see Andrew & Dennis linking up their adorable plaster egg vases tutorial here on our Welcome Spring Link Party!  They're celebrities of sort on one of my favorite shows, The Chew! Oh how I'll miss The Chew, but you can follow and see the Crafty Lumberjacks anytime! Be sure to check them out!

Hand Painted Easter Egg Garden

Next, Kristie @ Love My Little Cottage, shared her wonderful painting technique from the '90s in her creation of the Hand Painted Easter Egg Garden! What talented skills!

Eggster Bunny

And Sandra @ Hakelfieber crochet an Eggster Bunny - how cute is this play on words! So adorable - and the bunny is too!  Please stop by and see how she made him! 

How To Make Velvet Easter Eggs the Easy Way

And finally, Julie @ My Wee Abode shared how to make fabulous Velvet Easter Eggs in beautiful colors! I love that Julie  researched and found no one had a tutorial on making velvet eggs so she jumped at the chance! Check out her easy to follow tutorial on making these beauties! 

Thanks again to everyone who joined us in our month long Welcome, Spring Link Party Be sure to join us on May 28th for our Dollar Store Project Link Party! It's guaranteed to be inspiring!

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy,

Happy Crafting!

How to Make a Rag Bow with Upcycle Material

Did you know you can upcycle old curtains, tablecloths and sheets into an adorable rag bow? Rag bows are quite popular especially in rustic and farmhouse decor. What is a rag bow, you say? It's a bow made out of cut, torn or ripped strips of fabric! And is quite easy to make using your Bowdabra!

 I'm over on Bowdabrablog today sharing my tutorial on How to Make a Rag Bow!  If you're into rustic, farmhouse decor or just curious about the Rag Bow, please check it out!

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy,

Happy Crafting!

Decorative Rope Vase

Shhhh! I have to tell you a little secret about me you may not know! Whenever I see craft items in purple - especially if they're cheap, I will buy them! Oh yes!  Did you guess that? Needless to say, I have lots of purple craft items in 
my stash! Including purple rope cord! I don't see rope in purple very often, so I had to snatched it up - with not a clue as to what to do with it - until now! You might also guess that I like to wrap things - presents, ribbon, jars, etc., to name a few! And now a vase!

I got the idea of making a vase from wrapping plastic eggs. Sometimes ideas just hit you! Bam!!! 

Here's what I came up with using materials from my stash:

• Purple rope cord (20 yd roll - 5mm)
• Cling wrap
• Metal bowls (small)
• Fabri-tac (fix) fabric glue
• Magic marker/plastic tweezers

1. Cover two small metal bowls (Dollar Tree) with cling wrap, smoothing and tucking ends under. Then mark in the same place on the plastic wrap bowls where you want to stop wrapping the rope.

2.  Place a generous amount of fabric glue on the center outside bottom of bowl and begin twirling the rope around the bowl. Apply fabric glue along the base of the rope as you wrap.

3.  Continue wrapping the rope and adding glue, following the outline of the bowl. 

4.  Be sure to wrap the rope as close together as possible, while keeping the rows evenly pushed together.  Stop wrapping where marked, cutting rope at an angle to blend in and adding glue to secure to previous row.

5.  Let rope dry on bowl for at least an hour or two even though the glue is a quick dry before removing from bowl.

6.  Gently remove cling wrap from rope.

 7. For the second bowl,  allow space for the vase opening before beginning to wrap the bowl as before as with the first bowl. Only this time, cut rope end at an angle first, glue down and start twirling around bowl, blending in with the next row.

8.  Continue wrapping and gluing as before, ending where marked. Let dry and remove the rope from metal bowl. 

9.  To connect the two rope bowls together for the vase - place the open bowl on top of the closed bowl, adjusting fit, then apply a generous amount of fabric glue around the top edge of the closed bowl.

10.  Place the open bowl on top, adjusting fit and using plastic tweezers to pinch the two bowls together. holding in place for a few seconds to secure as you move around the edges.

11.  Let the vase dry completely for at least a few hours or more. Clean up any areas where there might be excess glue showing.

  What an adorable handcrafted decorative rope vase!

I've joined a group of bloggers who are challenged each month by Megan @C'mon Get Crafty to create a new craft or project from their own stash of goodies!


     

 Check out these awesome creations you might be able to make from your own stash! 
Everyone is allowed a $10 max to create a new craft utilizing mostly their own stash of craft supplies! 

#CraftRoomDestashChallenge[clickToTweet tweet="

What crafty creations could you make today from YOUR craft stash? 

If you'd like to join in the Craft Room De-Stash Challenge, you can request to join our Facebook group here!

Let's Meet the Hosts!!

C'mon Get Crafty | Purple Hues and Me

Craftify My Love |  EyeLoveKnots 

Margy Meanders | Across the Blvd

Domestic Deadline | Shoppe No 5 

Modern on Monticello | Love Jaime

Salvage Sister and Mister | Love My Little Cottage 

 Sew Crafty Crochet | This Autoimmune Life 

The Inspiration Vault

An InLinkz Link-up