This is an Easy, Elegant gift you can make in an evening. A serving tray, made from a frame!

I saw a tray similar to this in a high end shop selling for several hundred dollars! I thought they were beautiful but not $400.00 beautiful!

I couldn’t get them out of my mind so last year I decided to create one, actually two, and gave them as gifts to 2 of my dearest friends…who are always impressed with what I do, thankfully! They loved them…at least that’s what they said : ). I had planned on making a few more, one for myself and one for each of my daughters…but, I kind of forgot about it until I started perusing my pictures from last Christmas and came across these.

I thought I’d share the idea with y’all…they really are beautiful and pretty easy to make.

You start by selecting a pretty frame…the deeper/wider the better. You’ll need a thin piece of pressed board cut to fit onto the back of the frame (for stability). Find 4 pretty drawer knobs (for the “legs”) and 2 handles (for the top). A pretty piece of fabric…or several pieces layed side by side, ribbon, trim, feathers…anything flat to embellish the fabric and personalize the tray.

Then…assemble…

Cut the fabric to fit the piece of cardboard in the frame, covering the front and securing on the back with masking tape. Using fabric glue secure the trims and embellishments you’ve selected onto the fabric. You don’t want this to be too bulky as you want it to fit into the frame.

Drill little holes through the pressed board into the back of the frame making sure you have the right size little screws to secure once it’s put together. You’ll want to paint the board or cover it with felt or fabric so it’s “finished” on the bottom. You’ll also want to drill the holes to attach the handles on top (from the underside) you may need longer screws than what come w/the handles.

Then, turn the frame upside down, lay the glass in (you’ve cleaned it, of course) then the fabric covered cardboard, make sure it’s all smooth and laying flat under the glass. Attach the pressed board with little screws and then using a heavy duty glue like “Gorilla Glue” attach the 4 “legs”. I let this dry overnight and the next morning I attached the handles on the top of the tray.

Is there someone on your list that would love this beautiful tray?!