DIY Farmhouse Monogram Tray
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This new year is zipping by and Mother's Day will be here before we know it. I had an idea for a rustic monogrammed tray for all the moms in my life. {There are three in case you are wondering.}
And then I realized my son's teacher has a birthday (on the same day as my mom!) coming up and the monogrammed tray would be perfect as a gift card holder to her favorite shop. Plus, it gives me a chance to practice for the rest of them.
I found this unfinished oval tray at Hobby Lobby and used my 40% coupon to buy it.
Using Word, I created the monogram frame by typing the Letter 'O' with the font KG Flavor & Frames. Next, I created a text box inside the frame and used Little Lord Fontleroy for the monogram initial. Once the monogram was exactly what I wanted, I printed on copy paper.
DecoArt tracing paper made this project SO easy! Here are the simple steps:
1. Lay your design on top of the graphite paper and use a pencil to trace the graphic. It doesn't have to be perfect since you can paint over any oopsies.
2. Fill in your design with acrylic craft paint. (I used black)
3. Sand the design lightly with sanding block to give it a worn and aged appearance (if desired).
Now, the tray was ready to stain and I decided to use one of my new favorite colors, Briarsmoke. Once the first coat was dry, I lighted sanded the tray again to knock off any 'whiskers' from the grain being raised during the staining process.
To seal and protect the tray, I applied two coats of General Finishes Flat Out Flat. It was the perfect finish for a rustic, weathered look since it's not shiny whatsoever.
Last, but certainly not least, these handles from Hobby Lobby were the finishing touch. Once I held them up to the finished tray, I realized they were too severely stark white. A quick coat of antiquing glaze toned them down and made them seem genuinely aged.
Such a fast and easy way to pack a big transforming punch!
The rustic wood and vintage style handles help complete the farmhouse look perfectly, don't they?
All the variations in the wood grain are so pretty with the Briarsmoke stain. This shows exactly why I'm loving this color so much!
Perfect for serving Mother's Day tea and treats!
I hope my son's teacher enjoys her new custom monogram tray...I can't do enough thank yous for the teachers and staff who take care of my child each year! Now, I'm ready to crank out a few more of these in time for Mother's Day.
If you think these rustic platters would make beautiful personalized gifts for your friends and family, please pin and share for later!
