Last year, for my son's teacher's birthday, I made a Farmhouse Monogram Tray and she loved it so much, I decided to make a different version for his new teacher this year. 

I found a stash of these huge, unfinished trays at a thrift a few years ago and I'd planned on using them during Paint It Pretty parties.  Then, life got busy and I haven't taught a painting class in awhile.

So, this one was a perfect candidate to makeover into a rustic-style tray!

I followed the exact steps used on the Farmhouse Tray:

• Create a new Word document.
• Decide whether you want a frame or not for the monogram. I used a template I found online .
• Next, create a text box inside the frame and typed S with the font Little Lord Fontleroy.
• Print on copy paper.

Next, lay your monogram template on a piece DecoArt tracing paper and trace the design with a pencil.  Then fill in with your choice of color in acrylic craft paint.

To create an authentic rustic appearance, I rubbed the monogram with 80# sandpaper so it looked worn and aged. 

Then, I applied a base coat of Minwax Classic Gray and before it was dry a coat of Early American.   

To seal and protect this beautiful Farmhouse finish, I used General Finishes Flat out Flat. Although I wouldn't recommend serving food directly on the tray, I wanted to ensure the finish was durable for everyday use.

Hobby Lobby delivered once again with the perfect rustic handles. 

I'm going to bake a big batch of chocolate chip cookies (her favorite) when I deliver this gift to the teacher.  I hope she feels as special on her birthday as we think she is!

I'm thrilled I have one less of these in my stash.  Maybe I should go ahead and finish the rest as gifts?  

Thanks for stopping by!