organizing – Melodrama

If you’re horrible like me and need as much help as you can get keeping things organized, you can probably benefit from something like a vanity tray. These help keep all your odds and ends looking tidy by giving them a designated space to lay on. They’re super helpful on dressing tables, bathroom countertops, and even coffee tables to hold remotes and whatever you usually have laying around. Since I’m the worst and messiest person while I’m getting ready, I’m going to use mine to hold jewelry and other stuff that basically lives on my dresser and never really gets put away.

I had one of those inexpensive, basic picture frames that we all seem to have (probably from IKEA, am I right?) so I had the idea of turning it into a tray. When I turned it over it was definitely deep enough to become one.

First you’re going to need to complete a couple of steps to make it actually look like a tray and not just a flipped over picture frame.

Take the back out of the frame. I’m talking about the cardboard part that has the little thing that makes it stand up.
Then remove whatever little thingies that held in place. It’ll be little pieces of metal or staples usually. Fill and paint whatever holes and joints are showing on the frame.

Now you’re going to remove the actual piece that makes the frame stand up. Keep the cardboard back. It’s going to be the bottom of your tray.

Now it’s the fun part! You can do this a couple of ways really. You can use decorative paper, you can use a photo collage, or you can paint your own design like I did. I wanted a colorful abstract design on mine.

I gathered all necessary materials and got down to creating my design. I painted the cardboard piece white so it was a blank canvas.

I used several different colors in a random pattern and then applied the gold leaf.

Almost done. Assembly time! Put the cardboard into the frame. The frame is technically upside down at this point. Put your design right side up. Place the glass over it.