We're downsizing.
It's a chore, and if I could give any young person some good advice, it would be to HAVE LESS STUFF, EXPERIENCE MORE LIFE.
However, what's done is done, and we are slowly and methodically removing what we don't need from our lives.
Things we've bought, collected, been gifted, and somehow accumulated over 20 years of marriage and then some.
In this process, we've been very intentional about looking at each thing, making a decision, and moving forward.
Such is the case for a worn silver tray, past it's prime, but with a bit of life left.
Now, I love trays.
They are one of the most versatile objects to decorate with, take up minimal space, and are very useful.
This silver-plated tray once belonged to my mother-in-law, and although hubby had no attachment to it, I knew that I could rework it and use it into the new "less is more" phase of our retirement life.
You can see that over time the silver-plate was burnished off, but the beautiful embossed design still showed.
The edge and the handles of the tray were a solid dark gray from tarnish.
I could never imagine living in the '50s and '60s and having to POLISH this with cotton rags and silver paste.
NO THANK YOU!
But, it did need a good swipe with some Isopropyl Alcohol to get the dirt and any lint off the surface.
You can see that the alcohol did a great job readying it for the next step.
Using my Waverly Chalk Paint in the color Mineral, I painted the flat portion of the tray.
The taupey-gray color went on like a dream even though the first coat didn't fully cover.
It looked splotchy, but I knew that a second coat would take care of that.
I used a flat-edged brush to paint both coats which allowed me to cut in on the edge of the tray without any problem.
Once the second coat dried, I painted the Waverly Matte Varnish on top to protect the chalk paint and give it a hard finish.
I then used my Rub'n Buff Gold Leaf wax finish to add just a bit of elegance to the tray handles and edging.
(Look at how great the embossed patterns on the tray show through the coats of paint and varnish!)
I squeezed just a bit of the gold wax onto my finger and began to just rub the details of the tray.
The tarnished bits really look great in contrast with the gold bits.
I then did the scalloped edges, just running minute bits of the wax over the raised parts, leaving the indentations the tarnished color.
I let the tray cure for 24 hours and it was done.
Now I have a great piece that fits with my style, PLUS it now has a new life!
Because it's varnished, I can use it as a tray, but I wouldn't recommend placing food items directly onto the surface. Paper doilies should be used IF you would want to do that.
This project cost me ZERO dollars because I already had everything on hand.
You can get similar chalk paint from Amazon or get the Waverly brand from Wal*Mart.
The Rub'n Buff can be found at Amazon as well.
Rub'n Buff also comes in many different colors if the gold doesn't appeal to you.
I often find these types of trays at thrift shops, especially silvered pieces that are not in vogue at the moment. Look around and experiment with different paint options.
There are no rules in crafting!
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