DIY Baking Sheet/Serving Tray Transformation

My favorite kind of crafting is the free kind.  I love turning something I already have but isn't really being used into something useful and pretty without spending any money. 

Which is exactly what I did when I created this new serving tray for my guest bedroom. 

So, how did this idea come about?  For the past couple weeks I've had three thoughts floating around in my mind. 

Only three.  No other thoughts have occurred to me during this time at all ;)

I've been racking my brains for a way to use the leftover gold leaf that I purchased for this project.  Waste not, want not.  Or something like that.  Meanwhile, I've also been thinking about tossing one of my old cookie sheets because it was stained and dirty, but being the frugal Francis that I am, just couldn't part with it.  I've also been keeping my eye out for a serving tray to put in my guest bedroom to give it that finishing touch. I just didn't want to spend $40 on one so I've been picky.

Then,  the thought occurred to me that I could kill all three birds with one stone.  I decided to use my leftover gold leaf to beautify my old baking sheet, and turn it into a gorgeous, chippy serving tray!

Here's how its done.

Step 1.  Clean the tray thoroughly.

Yes, this is what it looked like after I'd already cleaned it.

Step 2.  Spray the tray with metal sealer spray.

I used the sealer because it is what I already had on hand, and I wanted it to look chippy.  They make an adhesive spray as well, so if you want more of your gold leaf to stay in place, and for the overall look to be less chippy, I'd recommend going with the adhesive spray instead of the sealer. This worked perfectly for me though.

Step 3.  Apply gold leaf using a craft paint brush. 

Step 4.  After you've applied all over, brush off the excess gold leaf with the craft brush. 

And voila! You've got yourself an adorable serving tray.  If you want to apply a coat of polycrylic over the top to make it more durable you can do that as well. It won't change the look at all. 

Metallics and chippiness are both very in style right now, so you can't really go wrong.

The total cost for this project for me was $0, but even if you don't already have the supplies, you can do this for around $15 (less if you use coupons).  I found the cheapest gold leaf and spray at Hobby Lobby.  

Time spent: Maybe 30 minutes, if that.  I spent more time taking the photographs of it then I did actually making it. 

 

That's all I've got to share for today.  Thanks for stopping by!