Thank you so much for all the love on my recent Instagram stories and post regarding my new DIY trays.
It was highly requested that I create a step by step :) so luckily I'd taken process photos just incase ;).
This is a really quick and easy DIY that anyone can achieve and heres a list of what you'll need and where to find it!
1. Photo Frames - yep believe it or not the bottom of the tray is just a £4 photo frame! from Hobby Craft. Unfortunately I can't find the product via the website but any photo frame would work as long as it is the size you're after!
2. Handles, 2 per tray. I bought mine from Wickes, Click here for link. Obviously you can use any handles you would like for the look you're going for.
3. Decorative Base, now initially I'd used textured card which I painted, this is one option. However I've since changed it today to multiple Photographs of the same Shagreen effect photo. I printed them at 8''x6'' and needed 4 per tray. There is such a variety of things you could use for the base, fabric, wallpaper, printed images, card etc etc. This is the image I used below
4.Paint, I used Culprinol Seasoned Oak for the edging of the tray to give it the dark wood effect. Again any colour you'd like to use would work. I just used a £1.50 sample size which was plenty.
5. Adhesives- I bought both Superglue and All purpose extra strength glue from Hobby Craft.
So now you have all your bits, not much right? You can now follow these really easy steps to create these beautiful trays.
Step 1 -
Lay your photo frame flat onto something you don't mind getting paint onto. & use your selected paint to paint around the edges making sure to get into the inner edge. At this point it doesn't matter if it goes all over the base of the photo frame as i've done here!
Step 2.
This paint dries super quick so I pretty much moved straight onto this next stage. This is the stage that could vary depending on what base you decided on. Obviously if you've chosen fabric, or wallpaper etc that is larger than the tray itself then cut to size, ideally using a stanley knife to give you a neat straight edge. For myself using 8''x6'' photos, I needed four per tray. Now this only really worked because the pattern is quite small and busy that the line blends into one another, you wouldn't really want to use this option if your chosen pattern/photo doesn't match up.
This paint dries super quick so I pretty much moved straight onto this next stage. This is the stage that could vary depending on what base you decided on. Obviously if you've chosen fabric, or wallpaper etc that is larger than the tray itself then cut to size, ideally using a stanley knife to give you a neat straight edge. For myself using 8''x6'' photos, I needed four per tray. Now this only really worked because the pattern is quite small and busy that the line blends into one another, you wouldn't really want to use this option if your chosen pattern/photo doesn't match up.
I put the all purpose strong glue around the edge of the photo and in dots around the back and placed it into one corner of the frame.
Step 3 -
Repeat this four times, not cutting the photo but overlaying them.
Once the glue settles and you push the edges down effectively these minimal lines will reduce. But ideally if the base you like is in a wallpaper or fabric that would be your neatest option!
Step 3 -
Repeat this four times, not cutting the photo but overlaying them.
Once the glue settles and you push the edges down effectively these minimal lines will reduce. But ideally if the base you like is in a wallpaper or fabric that would be your neatest option!
Step 4 -
And basically the last step. How easy is this? So let that set, again doesn't take much time at all. Now here comes the handles, there are two ways you can attach the handles but firstly you want to measure up to make sure it's even at both ends. You can either attach the handles with superglue at the bases and press and hold for sometime to secure or screw them through the back, as you would if you were attaching to a drawer.
Rather than doing this all twice, I did each step on each frame as I went along so that both trays were completed together at the end!
Then all is left to do is style your new beautiful trays using all your favourite little pieces.
Then all is left to do is style your new beautiful trays using all your favourite little pieces.
And well, that's pretty much it! Easy hey :) I feel like it's a really short tutorial and I've missed things but it really just is that simple!
Please DM me any you create yourself I would really love to see some!
Hope you found this useful and don't hesitate to DM me with any further questions but I've really included all that I feel I can.
Please DM me any you create yourself I would really love to see some!
Hope you found this useful and don't hesitate to DM me with any further questions but I've really included all that I feel I can.
Happy creating!
Emily- Louise
xoxo
