DIY Thrift Store Tray Makeover – how to give a brown wooden tray a fresh white update with paint and add a vintage French label accent with a Sharpie marker. Easy DIY home decor project and gift idea.
I picked up a wooden tray at Goodwill a few weeks ago that was screaming for a major makeover.
I knew it had lots of potential…..here it is after a touch of French appeal!
French Label Goodwill Tray Makeover
.JPG3720 "How to paint a wood serving tray with white paint and stencil on this beautiful French sign with a Sharpie. See the easy DIY tutorial!")
Supplies:
Primer spray paint in Bright White
Pencil
Black and white photocopy of French Chocolate Cacao Label Graphic – Graphics Fairy
– Lightly sand the tray to remove varnish. Wipe off any dust.
– Spray entire tray top and bottom with white spray paint primer. Let dry.
– Spray entire tray with 2 coats of white satin paint. Let dry.
– On the blank side of the French graphic photocopy, with the pencil, shade the paper ( in the area where the graphic is) to make a transfer.
– Center the photocopy onto the tray so that the pencil shaded side is lying on top of tray surface and the black and white graphic is facing towards you. Secure with low tack painter’s tape.
– Using the pencil, outline the lines and letters of the graphic. This will cause the pencil shading on the back of the photocopy to be transferred onto the tray! Now you have the graphic outlined in pencil on the tray.
– Using the black Sharpie marker fill in the letters and lines onto the tray.
Ta da! Finished! Doesn’t it look fantastic?
I love this little tray…..I think it would be perfect for my hubby or boys to serve me breakfast in bed 😉 Ohh to dream!!
I hope you enjoyed this DIY French Label Goodwill Tray Makeover project!
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Heather Luckhurst is the publisher and owner of the Design and Lifestyle website 
Caitlin says
July 23, 2012 at 12:38 pmThis looks great!! Totally doesn’t look like it was done with a sharpie… I thought it was made with a Silhouette or something! Nice work.
Heather says
July 24, 2012 at 9:38 pmThank you Caitlin! Such sweet compliments! I’d love to have a Silhouette, but for now I will have to make do with other ways to transfer graphics…the Sharpie worked great!
Corn in my Coffee-Pot says
July 24, 2012 at 3:37 amSuch a cute little tray!
I just found your blog…I’m off to nose around a minute!
…Pat
Heather says
July 24, 2012 at 9:36 pmThanks Pat for the sweet comments! Thanks for visiting my blog and hope you have fun looking around my blog!
being mom{me} says
July 24, 2012 at 6:01 amThis is beautiful…what a wonderful transformation!!! I’m definitely going to have to try this transfer method…{yet another thing added to “the list”…}
Have a great week!
Rhiannon
Heather says
July 24, 2012 at 9:05 pmThanks Rhiannon!! So glad you like this DIY! It’s a super simple way to transfer an image, no Silhouette machine required!
Jessica @ Stay at Home-ista says
July 24, 2012 at 6:39 pmThat is some serious Ooh-la-la!
Heather says
July 24, 2012 at 9:03 pmMais oui!!!! Ha Ha!!! Thanks for your sweet comments Jessica!!! I have been dropping some big hints to my hubs to serve me breakfast in bed with this tray, but we are in the middle of a move right now, so that will have to wait for a bit!! Darn!!!
Jaye Leon says
July 26, 2012 at 1:51 amHoly cow! Can you believe I just downloaded that exact graphic from Graphics Fairy yesterday? AND I just happen to have one of those ugly trays in storage. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get that transfered onto something other than a stencil and this girl don’t stencil! This must be fate….or kismet! Regardless, you are walking on water for me right now. Can’t wait to do it!!
I’ll be your newest follower! Found you through Becca’s FG2B guest post. I love her, don’t you?
Thank
Jaye @ Just Trying to Make Cents of it All
justtryintomakecentsofitall.blogspot.com
Laura @ House Of Joyful Noise says
July 31, 2012 at 3:32 pmBy golly, I HAVE this BORING tray! And I find myself inspired, here! This is an awesome idea. Will totally credit you if I get to doing something with mine, even if it’s ends up I do something completely different.
Great job!
Heather says
July 31, 2012 at 3:58 pmOh you are so sweet Laura!!! Hope you have fun making over your tray! I am really enjoying mine – it’s a simple inexpensive DIY! Have fun!
Claire @ a little something in the meantime . . . says
July 31, 2012 at 8:01 pmHi Heather!
I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how the move went. Obviously you’re not stuck at the border if you’re making over trays 😉 I hope everything went well and that you’re getting settled as much as is possible amidst the chaos.
You are definitely the Queen of Graphics Fairy + Sharpie makeovers! You have way more patience than me!
Take care my provincial neighboUr! (ha!)
Bunny Jean says
August 1, 2012 at 4:31 amHi Heather!
I have this SAME tray and will be using your tutorial to make it something to be proud of! You did such a great job… Your sharpie technique is perfect.
I am now following you and hope to “borrow” more of your creativity 🙂
xoxo Bunny Jean
Wednesday’s Bunny Hop Party!