Look around your house or the next time you’re at a thrift shop. Find either an unpainted tray or a tray that needs a makeover. This is a quick project to create a Painted Trays with Scrapbook Lining for a beautiful and elegant tray to display or organize things in your home.

Painted Trays with Scrapbook Lining

Today I have a really adorable and easy DIY idea for you! Scrapbook paper-lined and painted trays. These trays are so versatile, they can be used in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or anywhere you want to corral items or have a flat surface available. They also make a great gift if you want to load them up with some smaller gift items. But best of all, you can change their look in a snap.

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As I mentioned above unfinished trays can be purchased at many places. If you want a new one, look at your local craft supply store or order one online on Amazon for cheap.

You’ll also want some decorative scrapbook paper , gift wrap , or fabric to line the bottom of your tray.

Materials:

• Unfinished tray
• Fine grit sandpaper sheet
• Damp & dry rags
• 2 sheets of scrapbook paper per tray
• Paint (I prefer chalk paint )
• Primer (if you are using other than chalk paint)
• Paintbrush
• Optional:
  • Antiquing Wax ,
  • Plexiglass cut to fit bottom of tray

Instructions:

Lightly sand and wipe off tray with a damp rag.

Prime tray (if using non-chalk paint.) Paint tray desired color. For this tray, I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen.

After the paint has dried, brush antiquing wax onto your tray if desired. Buff off excess with a dry rag.

Cut scrapbook paper to fit inside the tray. When overlapping paper, make sure to line up the repeating pattern.

For the best durability, line the tray with a piece of glass or plexiglass cut to fit inside the tray. (Ask your local home improvement store to cut or order online .) If you want it to be permanent, seal the edges of the glass with clear silicone.

The paper you use to line the tray doesn’t have to necessarily be scrapbook paper. I got this paper from Ballard Designs. It’s actually cheese paper, but I loved the design. It doesn’t quite match up, so I just rotated the paper.

When you put something on top of the tray, you hardly notice the seam.

The nifty thing about these trays is the decorative paper can be swapped out when you bore of the design. (Unless, you seal the edges.)

Once again, I’m loving this idea too much…I might be keeping this one for myself ;-).

Do tell me if you love this idea or have any unique ideas for lining the bottom.

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