Once upon a time, I was cruising through the craft store when I spotted this moss and leaf covered tray on the Clearance aisle. Ever the bargain shopper, I just knew I could figure out something clever to do with it. Well, that was at least two years ago, and all that time it has sat, lonely and unadorned, in my craft closet.
Just for the record, even I know that it’s not a “bargain” if you never use it. But, you know.
So this spring, I finally brought it out of hiding and decorated it for Easter. I put in a wooden bunny circa 1985, some eggs and carrots. It added something new to my usual Easter decor and looked quite cute. Even the tray seemed happy being out of the closet and serving a purpose….
After I took that display apart, I didn’t want to relegate the tray back to the dark, messy craft closet, so I came up with some other ideas to test myself and my creativity. First, a simple fall arrangement…..
Next, I created a holiday tray, making it simple in gold and white with some natural elements thrown in.
I actually wanted to do some colorful holiday ornaments, and I went to the garage in search of the proper box. As I was up on the ladder, wrestling with the box that was up way too high, something in my brain said “This is not smart. Your husband is working out of state this week, this is a concrete floor, and it might be days before anyone even notices you’re missing.” So I got off the ladder and created a simpler holiday version, using what I could reach without killing myself.
Finally, this is how I’m going to use the tray for the summer. I think this could be my favorite! Full of artificial succulents where it will live on our covered patio for the season…once I hang it up. To see the patio makeover using this tray, see https://tumbleweedtidings.com/2017/05/30/summer-patio-makeover/. The beautiful thing is that this tray has such an open weave, I didn’t even have to glue the succulents in. I just poked them through and they stayed just fine. That will make it much easier in the fall when I want to reinterpret the tray once again.
So there you have it. One humble tray done four ways. I hope this will inspire you to reuse and upcycle trays, baskets or other vessels that may be hiding in your closets, making them work from season to season. It’s an easy, fun, and cost effective way to give your house some seasonal flair using items you probably have on hand. The possibilities are endless!
Good tidings,
Diane
