Re-Use A Beautiful Frame and Make A Useful Tray For The Holidays!

Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) is really just around the corner, and I think most of us enjoy ushering in the New Year with a few decorative additions to our holiday table or home decor. This year you can re-use something you may already have on hand, and in a few simple steps add an elegant touch to your buffet or side table.

You’ll Need:

• A frame with glass or preferably plexi-glass for safety
• A beautiful scarf or piece of fabric
• A piece of plywood or mdf cut to the exact size of frame (optional)
• Two handles and four small knobs (optional)

How To: Decorative Tray That Will Sit in One Place:

1. Most frames already have a backing piece of cardboard which you can use. If not, cut a piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the opening.
2. Wrap your fabric or scarf around the cardboard neatly, and secure to back of cardboard with tape. 
3. Insert into frame.
4. A thin silk scarf can be used for this purpose without cutting it, just the underside of the tray may be a bit thick. Give it a try.
5. Depending on the depth of your frame and thickness of your fabric you may or may not be able to cover the back opening with an additional piece of cardboard that fits into the opening. If a piece of cardboard can not fit into the opening, cut a piece that will cover the entire back of the frame, and secure with thumb tacks, a staple gun or glue.
6. If you will be using the tray on a table with food I would recommend stapling with a staple gun, or taping a piece of plastic, such as oil cloth or a plastic place-mat to the bottom for protection.

How To: Tray That You’d Actually Like To Use As A Serving Tray:

1. Make sure that the frame you’d like to use is actually big enough, and would be comfortable to handle. For example, a very thick frame might be too heavy to actually use.
2. Follow the directions above. In this case the assembly is permanent, so use a scrap of fabric.
3. Have someone cut you a piece of mdf or plywood the exact dimensions of the back of the frame.
4. Attach to frame with wood glue or small screws.
5. You may need to paint the sides of the mdf or plywood to match your frame.
6. Depending on the style of frame and how handy you are, consider adding two handles to complete the look! And if you’ve gone this far, add four small knobs to the back for feet, for a professional finish.

This idea could be used in so many ways with photographs as well! It would make a great gift for a Kallah (bride) to use as a cosmetics tray, as a gift to grandparents with photos of the grandchildren (sepia toned ones could be nice) and so on! As always my projects are just a starting point for you to follow in the creation of  something uniquely yours! Let me know how it goes!