Back When I Had Time For This Kind Of Thing...

The other day I spotted this stenciled tray tucked away in a corner, and thought, now that isn't a very good spot for it! How about placing it on my newly painted table?

And it looks just right here. Finally, it's found a good home.

Then I hopped over to HGTV.com to copy the tutorial I wrote while working on this project. Scrolling through the steps, I know for certain I was a little crazy when working on this tray - what a lot of work, for a tray! But I truly enjoyed working with HGTV, and did my best to produce good work...and I'm happy, after the fact, to have such a pretty tray!

Just in case you find yourself with some spare time to stencil a tray yourself, here are the steps:

Materials Needed:

• wooden tray
• stencil
• paint in two complementary colors
• sanding pads, medium and extra-fine grit
• ruler

• painter's tape
• tack cloth
• paintbrush
• small artist brush
• polyurethane

Gather Materials

Select tray, stencil design, paint colors and additional materials. Tip: Consider using a stencil featuring a single damask motif or other pattern to center on tray surface. 

(YES, BECAUSE THE ONE I CHOOSE WAS INSANELY TIME CONSUMING!!)

+

Sand Tray

Remove protective finish from tray surface, using medium-grit sanding pad, to allow new paint to adhere.Tip: Begin with unpainted tray to eliminate this step.

+

Prime Tray

Apply primer to all surfaces of tray with brush. Let dry two hours.

Sand Tray

Using an extra-fine-grit sanding pad, sand away any rough spots prior to painting. Wipe tray clean with tack cloth.

+

Paint Tray

Apply selected paint color to all surfaces of tray with brush. Let dry four hours.

+

Sand Tray Between Layers of Paint

Sand away any rough areas or brush marks using an extra-fine-grit sanding pad. Wipe tray clean with tack cloth.

Apply Second Coat of Paint

Brush on second coat of paint to all surfaces of tray. Let dry four hours.

+

Center Stencil on Tray

Position stencil design on tray. Measure placement to ensure design is centered. Secure in place using painter's tape.

+

Paint Design With Stencil Brush

Paint design onto tray with stencil brush using a dry brush method to ensure sharp paint lines. This is done by dipping tip of brush into paint and removing excess paint on paper towel.

Fill in Stencil Design

Dry brush stencil cut outs with paint using a stippling method, which is tapping the brush repeatedly over stencil opening. Press down stencil while stippling to prevent paint seepage.

+

Run Stencil Design to Tray Edges

If using a design that will run up to edges of tray, bend stencil at tray edge and hold in place while stippling.

+

Complete Stencil Design

Use small paint brush to fill in any unpainted sections of stencil design. Let paint dry four hours prior to applying protective finish.

Cover Tray With Protective Finish

Apply protective finish to entire surface of tray with brush. Let dry two hours.

What project do you look at and ask yourself, "where did I find the time and energy for that?!?!"