Skip to main content

Easy DIY Summer Serving Tray

Hello everyone! How's everyone doing? I hope all is well. Today I am bringing you a quick and easy design. We're going to create a summer serving tray. You could also use this tray as a decor element as well. I am reusing a wooden crate I purchased a few years back for $3 at my local Target store. I figured it would be perfect to repaint and add a few other embellishments. If you're ready, let's create a cute summer tray.

Painted wooden serving tray with bright yellow summer sign with decorations on tray

Video tutorial





Craft materials displayed on a table


Materials


One wooden crate
I am reusing an old wooden crate I purchased at Target for $3. 

Acrylic paint
Optional mod podge-If you decide to seal your paint
One paintbrush
Scissors
Fruit stickers or other summer embellishments 
I found a pack of clear fruit stickers at Dollar Tree
One wooden summer word sign
E6000 or hot glue

Pink acrylic paint, paintbrush and wooden serving tray on a table

Begin by applying your acrylic paint to your wooden tray. I am using multisurface acrylic paint for the main tray. Be sure to allow your tray to fully dry. Between each coat of paint, I used my blow dryer to help with the drying process.


Acrylic paint, paintbrush and painted tray on a table

After applying paint to the outer surfaces of your tray, take your second acrylic paint and begin to apply the paint on the inside of your tray. I wanted the inside of my tray to be white. Once you have applied your paint and it has fully dried, you can take Mod Podge to seal off your paint. Using Mod Podge is optional.

yellow acrylic paint, wooden summer sign and paintbrush on a table

Next, take your wooden summer word sign and apply your acrylic paint to it. I decided to go with a yellow color. I thought the yellow color would pop against the brighter pink color of the tray.

Painted yellow summer sign, adhesive, and painted tray on a table

Afterward, take either E6000 or hot glue to apply your summer sign to the front of your tray. 

Wooden tray and fruit stickers on a table

This last step is simple. Take your stickers or other embellishments and add them to your tray using either E6000 or hot glue. 

Close-up of wooden tray with greenery, mini straws and glass cup on a table

Completed serving tray displayed with decorations

Your summer tray is complete. Isn't it cute? I love how it turned out. And just to think that by taking an old wooden crate that was stuffed away in storage, it could be turned into a colorful, summer tray.  Thank you so much for stopping by and creating with me. Be sure to check out more of my crafts here and also on my YouTube channel. I'll see you soon.

Pin Share Save

Pinterest Pin with title and image of summer serving tray


 

Labels:

Comments

  1. Vintage Style GalJuly 3, 2023 at 11:08 AM

    This is perfect for summer Stephanie! I never think to create items for summer for some reason, something I think I need to improve on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 3, 2023 at 11:19 AM

      Thank you! Honestly, I would have never thought to create a summer tray. ☀️ I figured it would be perfect for my girls to use during the summer.

      Delete
  2. Dee | GrammysGrid.comJuly 4, 2023 at 1:41 AM

    I like it, the stickers are cute, great color for the tray!! Thanks so much for linking up at #IMadeItMondayLinkParty 15. Pinned.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 5, 2023 at 10:09 AM

      Dee, thank you. I really appreciate it. 😊

      Delete
  3. Donna ReidlandJuly 5, 2023 at 7:33 AM

    This is very cute ... and practical!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 5, 2023 at 10:09 AM

      Donna, thank you. 😊 Thank you so much for visiting.

      Delete
  4. Life as a LEO WifeJuly 5, 2023 at 3:31 PM

    So cute Steph! Thanks for sharing on Crafty Creators!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 5, 2023 at 7:37 PM

      Thank you! 😊 Always love sharing on Crafty Creators.

      Delete
  5. Carol, The Answer Is ChocolateJuly 6, 2023 at 8:57 AM

    This is so perfect for Summer! Featuring when my party opens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 6, 2023 at 9:30 AM

      Carol, thank you! 😊 I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed my summer tray. Thank you so much for visiting.

      Delete
  6. Perfectly Imperfect - Life with LyndseyJuly 6, 2023 at 8:06 PM

    This is adorable! I have been looking for some type of tray to go on my low table on my deck. This might be the idea!

    I would like to invite you to join my Tell It To Me Tuesday link party for the chance to be featured. This link party runs from Tuesday - Friday, and can be found at Perfectly Imperfect - Life with Lyndsey. Perfectlyimperfect-lwl.com/ > for you > tell it to me tuesday. I hope to see you there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 6, 2023 at 8:32 PM

      Aw, thank you! I'm always happy to receive feedback on my craft creations. Thank you so much. 😊 I'll be sure to check out your link party.

      Delete
  7. PaulaShort July 9, 2023 at 8:46 AM

    Absolutely love this Steph! I had been thinking of making a summer tray, this great tutorial has given me the motivation to make one.
    Thanks bunches for sharing this with Sweet Tea & Friends this month my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. StephanieJuly 9, 2023 at 10:36 AM

      Paula, thank you. I really appreciate it. I am also happy to hear that you enjoyed the tutorial and that it has given you motivation to create one. I am sure it will turn out wonderful.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Your comments brighten my day. I hope that you know that it is appreciated. I do my best to respond to every comment. If you have a question, please feel free and ask away!

Popular posts from this blog

Easy 4th Of July Metal hanging design

 Hello everyone! How have you been? I wanted to share this super easy decoration with all of you. I created this simple metal hanging decoration for the 4th of July. I absolutely love how it turned out. I found this metal holder at my local Dollar Tree. I haven't seen it in the store before. I was excited to find this and brainstorm for my next project. As always, the material list is below. I will walk you through each step of creating your very own.  Video tutorial Materials One metal hanging holder Mod Podge  Tulle or ribbon Acrylic paint Craft foam block Foam scatter stars Faux flowers One decorative napkin Scissors Floral cutters Hot glue Three craft sticks Twine Applying paint to metal design Start by taking your paintbrush and applying your acrylic paint to your metal holder. I only used my paint on the metal surface. When applying the acrylic paint I noticed it does go on smoothly. You could prep the metal surface if you are concerned about the paint not adhering to the met
24 comments
Read more

DIY Dollar Tree Floral Painted Tray

Hey everyone! Today, I want to show you how to transform a small Dollar Tree tray by adding painted floral art to give it a fresh new look. This DIY tutorial uses affordable supplies from Dollar Tree and is perfect for adding a personalized touch to your home decor. DIY Floral Painted Tray Video Tutorial Materials One small wooden tray - 5x7 inches Paintbrush Acrylic paint Mod Podge Applying paint to the tray Start by painting the main section of your tray Then, use a second paint color to cover the front and sides of the tray. For my tray, I used both white and light blue. Creating your flower vase Creating the flower vase was quite simple. I used a smaller paintbrush to create two lines opposite each other. After making the lines, I filled the middle section between them with paint. Creating your flowers I chose shades of purple, pink, blue, and yellow for my flowers. I created both smaller and medium-sized flowers using my smaller paintbrush. I created leaves using a mixture of ligh
17 comments
Read more

DIY Mini Wood Lantern

  Hello everyone. I'm so excited to share this mini wood lantern craft with you all. I recently bought a box of wood tumbling blocks from Dollar Tree, and I wasn't sure what I was going to create with them. I decided since I also had some wood craft popsicle sticks on hand that I would use those with the blocks, and create a mini wood lantern. This project took around 30 minutes, but I promise you, you will just love how it all comes together with just a few materials. If you're ready, I'd love it if you created it with me!  Video tutorial Materials One pack of wood tumbling blocks  I purchased mine at my local Dollar Tree Ten wood craft popsicle sticks Paint  I'm using black paint, I also had some antique white paint on hand, but I went with black paint Hot glue Twine Faux floral, and greenery One medium-sized bead One battery-operated candle Floral snips Scissors Building the top and bottom sections of the lantern Start by taking five of your tumbling blocks. Usin
23 comments
Read more

How to Create an Artificial Succulent Birdhouse Decoration

  Hello everyone! I have a quick and easy DIY craft project to share with you. I wasn't sure what to do with the second birdhouse I purchased at my local Dollar Tree a while back. If you follow me, you probably know how much I love succulents, especially faux ones. So, why not design a birdhouse with a faux succulent roof? I would love it if you could create one with me. The process is simple, and I'll take you through a full materials list. Video tutorial How to Create an Artificial Succulent Birdhouse Decoration To make the birdhouse design, you will need the following materials: - One craft birdhouse (you can buy it at Dollar Tree) - Assorted faux succulents - Craft moss - Artistic paint (Espresso in this case) - Paintbrush - Hot glue Applying paint to the birdhouse Start by applying acrylic paint to your birdhouse. Use Espresso color, and add a small amount of water to thin out the paint. This will result in a stained finish without having to use stain. After applying the p
18 comments
Read more

Design your very own organizer using Dollar Tree Items

  Learn how to design and create your own personalized organizer using affordable Dollar Tree items. Get creative with materials and follow these easy DIY steps to make a unique and functional organizer for your home or office space. Hi everyone! I hope that you are doing well. Recently I took a trip to my local Dollar Tree and found these stackable plastic organizers.  Today we're going to design our very own organizer. To create your organizer you will only need a few materials. Most of my materials were purchased at my local Dollar Tree store. You will need three of the plastic organizing drawers.  Be sure to check out my YouTube channel for more DIY tutorials-- For more DIY Tutorials Click here! And I would love it if you subscribed to the channel DIY Organizer video tutorial below Materials THREE STACKABLE ORGANIZING DRAWERS 5X5X1.75 IN ASSORTED FAUX PEARL BEADS SMALL WOOD BEADS PEEL AND STICK FLORAL DECALS PEEL AND STICK DECORATIVE PAPER HOT GLUE PAINT- I'M USING ACRYLIC
25 comments
Read more

DIY Patriotic Book Stack using Dollar Tree Wooden Crate

Hey everyone! I hope you're doing well. Today, I want to share an easy DIY project with you. We'll make a patriotic book stack using a wooden crate from Dollar Tree. If you follow my blog, you probably know how much I enjoy creating these simple book stacks for different occasions. Video tutorial Create your very own Patriotic Book Stack  Here are the materials you'll need: - One wooden crate box (you can find these at Dollar Tree or any craft store) - Paintbrush - Acrylic paint in red, white, and blue - Faux floral - Twine or craft string - Sticker letters or a cutting machine to create your lettering and embellishments (I used my Cricut Machine to create the stars) Adding paint to the wooden crate  Start by painting the wooden crate box. Previously I had painted mine black, but for this project, I wanted to paint it red, white, and blue. I began by applying white paint over the black paint. Then, I added red and blue paint to two sections on the front of the box, leaving
6 comments
Read more

Celebrate in Style: DIY Patriotic Napkin Rings

Hey everyone! I hope you're doing well. Today, I want to share an easy DIY project. We're going to make patriotic napkin rings using just a few materials. I usually find extra craft supplies in my craft bins because I often shop craft sales at the stores. I got the wooden stars and rings from my local Hobby Lobby store. The great thing about this project is that it's easy and quick. I'll provide you with a materials list and a step-by-step tutorial. Video tutorial Celebrate in Style: DIY Patriotic Napkin Rings Materials Acrylic paint  Gem strips (I'm using the gem strips from Dollar Tree)  E6000 or hot glue  Paintbrush  Wooden stars  Wood rings size 1.89in (4.8cm) Start by painting each of your wooden rings and stars. I chose to paint my rings white. Apply the paint to each ring's outer, back, and inner surface. For the stars, I went with red, white and blue. Next, we will attach the gem strips to each ring. Before adding the gem strips, attach each star to a wo
5 comments
Read more

How to Make a Charming Tea Bag Holder Using a Garden Pot and Wood Circle

  Are you a tea lover looking for a creative DIY project? Learn to create a unique tea bag holder using a garden pot, wood circle, wooden bead, and paper floral decorations. Get inspired and add a personal touch to your tea time. Today, we will make a tea bag holder using a garden ceramic pot and a wooden circle. This holder is both functional and cute. Below, I will provide a list of materials and step-by-step instructions. Video tutorial How to Make a Charming Tea Bag Holder Using a Garden Pot and Wood Circle Materials  Garden pot- I'm using a white 4inch planter pot (The one I am using is a ceramic pot)  One wood circle- I picked up a pack of 6  3'' wood circles at my local Walmart store for $1.80 Mod Podge Decorative napkin Paintbrush One medium or large wooden bead Paper flowers and leaves Adhesive Scissors White acrylic paint Letter stamps Stamp ink Preparing your decorative napkin and Mod Podge Let's begin by taking a decorative napkin and removing the second lay
27 comments
Read more