This Painted Serving Tray project and shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CelebrateAllSummer #CollectiveBias
Summer birthdays abound in our family. The months of July and August are packed with adult and children birthday celebrations alike. I’m always searching for the perfect gift to give that person who has everything, and often that tends to be a personalized or hand made gift. I have made a few different serving trays in the past, but I have never created one with summer colors. With a friend’s birthday celebration approaching, I pulled out the paints and made her a brightly colored, summer themed serving tray.
While picking up American Greetings cards and bows at Walmart, I spotted this adorable heart American Greetings wrapping paper. I liked the colors so much that I used them as the inspiration for the serving tray. With the tan background and bright colors, I felt like the wood from the serving tray would pair nicely with the colors.
Supplies:
- Blank wooden serving tray
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Acrylic paints
- Painter’s tape
- Paintbrush
- Optional: Clear sealant to seal the paint on the tray
Step 1
Make sure that the serving tray is clean and free of dust.
Step 2
Use the ruler to create lines for the stripes on the tray. Draw them lightly with the pencil. There is no rhyme or reason for the size or placement of the stripes. It is completely up to you.
Step 3
Apply the painter’s tape along the lines. For stripes that are next to one another, you will have to do these in steps. Allow one stripe to dry overnight before taping and painting the one beside of it. This step may take a few days, depending on how many stripes that you are trying to create.
Step 4
Allow all paint to dry and remove the tape.
Optionally: Apply the sealant.
Pair the tray with the perfect card, and it is gift ready! A few simple words on a meaningful card can have a large impact. Cards from American Greetings are a wonderful way to celebrate summer birthdays and any occasion.
American Greetings creates more than birthday cards. Their cards are great for those moments of “random acts of cardness,” like the two additional cards that I picked up for friendship and for Hug Your Kids Day. There are many achievements and occasions where American Greetings can help show support with one of their meaningful cards.
Pick up American Greetings cards and more at your local Walmart. Find more summer celebration inspiration here.
What a great idea. I love the bright colors you painted the tray. I think this would be a great gift idea for Mother’s day or a birthday. And you could personalize it easily.
This is really cute idea. I have an old breakfast tray that needs some freshening and this is a great way to do that. I love the bright colors also because it would be a great way to brighten up a dreary day.
Your tray turned out so cute! I’ll have to make one for all of our summer entertaining though I think it would make a great gift too. And I love that heart wrapping paper!
It’s been a while since I’ve given a greeting card just because, but I love the idea. I also own a few trays that could use some paint and get spruced up. Yours came out beautifully and is the perfect gift for maybe meet the teacher night.
That is a really cute idea. Makes the room pop as well. Would have to do this with the kids. Maybe we can give it to their grandma on her birthday.
This looks like such a cool project. And I can think of doing some nice things with those beautiful trays. My daughter would love this.
The trays are just so bright and colorful. So how long does the project take to do from start to finish? I know that waiting could take a while so we might go with a few stripes while waiting.
It took me about 3 days, but I was kind of pokey about it! lol 🙂
This is so much fun! I love it. I would totally do this as a weekend project.
My Daughter would do an incredible job making this craft. I had never really thought about taking plain wood products like this and dressing them up. She decoupaged a chair so she could use the wrapping paper in that way too.