Thursday, January 27, 2011

A Transformation

This has been one of my best transformations in a while! I found this tray a couple weeks ago at a thrift shop. I have no idea what it is. It's heavy, appears to be real wood or at least composite. It has a felt backing, no tags, no bracket for hanging, and two handles on the sides. Was it a wall hanging at some point? Homemade? Is it old? Or new made to look old?

The only thing I knew was that it was interesting to me. And obviously abandoned, due to a pretty awful permanent pink stain that ruined the picture of roses on the tray. The black paint you see below is actually my first edge of chalkboard paint, I forgot to take a photo before I started.


However, I saw potential to do something with it. I decided that a little chalkboard paint could turn this into a fun tray.

I loved how it turned out!


The handles add a lot of character and the beaten up glazed beige-toned wood is vintage looking.


Of course, I have done some debating on whether this tray will be mine, or go to the shop. I am thinking I will enjoy it for a week, then it will go to the shop the first weekend in February.

Unless I start tearing up as I walk it out the door. In that case, it will stay.

Here is how I am using it for now. I have been wanting to buy some bunches of tulips but haven't yet....so my faux yellow tulips worked in a pinch.



I used my new milk bottle which I also got at a thrift shop for 1.99. I've seen these from $10-20 at antique shops recently so this seemed to be a deal!


I am not sure it is old though, as this dairy in California actually still uses the glass bottles. How cool is that? And the reviews I read of this dairy claim it is a pretty amazing milk product!!


What I love about this fun little biz we're in is taking something damaged or unwanted and giving it a new and beautiful purpose! It takes a while to get in the mind frame to walk into a room of junk and see the potential in items, but once you really open yourself to it (and peruse a lot of blogs and antique shows and flea markets for inspiration) you'll find it becomes easier to have an instant vision and do it yourself!


p.s. I wrote "spring is knockin" on my tray. After all, there are small signs of spring starting to pop up around here. A bit scary, as it is only January! They've been sayin' this was going to be the harshest winter we've had in a while.....old man winter has yet to live up to that claim. Mark my words- I don't believe winter is done with us yet! To those poor little bulbs which have sprouted four inches out of the soil in my yard....I'm so sorry!

~michelle~


7 comments:

Tara said...

This is really cool! I need to get some chalkboard paint, mine is almost wiped out. You know I always think the flowers come back in early every year but I think they might only be a couple weeks early this year. Once they pop through the ground they take a few weeks before they're ready to bloom which means March and I guess that's about right. We've got daffodils and hyacinth starting to sprout.

I've noticed the geese are moving back in too. Maybe we'll get snow in June!

Polly said...

Love it! That is a fabulous way to recycle that poor little cast-off! I love that you didn't paint the rest of it...it really has a great patina just as it is!

We got a couple inches of snow overnight...it was nice to see nice clean bright snow covering everything! Can't wait to see the buds on the trees and the grape hyacinths making their way up through the earth!

Happy Friday!

xo

Polly

Tricia said...

Your tray looks turned out great Michelle. I wish spring was a knockin' around here, all I see is lots of snow.

That little milk bottle sure is cute too. I saw some really nice old ones at a garden store awhile back. I thought of getting some, but I have some plain ones and figured I didn't need to buy more stuff...as much as I wanted too :)

Kim said...

That was such a great idea! Love how it turned out.

Town and Country Gals said...

So glad you visited! I love your blog and am your newest follower and will be visiting often!
Your tray make over is fab! Your booth is amazing! Lots of great stuff!
Rebecca

Anonymous said...

that transformation is totally rockin!! That's some serious creativity because I would have never thought of that.

Robin Johnson said...

I love it. Looks so good in your room too! But then why wouldn't it right! LOL