When it’s cold outside, we spend a lot of evenings at our house curled up in the living room with mugs of hot chocolate or tea by our sides. It took me many years before realizing that having small trays handy in the kitchen made this evening tradition much simpler. But now that I have figured it out, I’m a try addict, and I’m passing it on to friends and family. This year Grandma and Grandpa, devoted tea drinkers themselves, are getting a tea tray decorated with kid art as a Christmas gift, which really, is two presents in one, making it all the more better. Look for inexpensive plastic trays at home stores such as Target or Ikea, to use as your base.
Things you need:
Plastic Tray
Several pieces of children’s art (make copies of them if they are really special)
Scissors
Modge Podge
Foam brush
220-grit sandpaper
Things to do:
1. Lightly sand the entire top of the tray to help the Modge Podge adhere better.
2. Arrange the art, trimming as necessary and taking into account the raised sides of the tray. If you think the art medium will run under the glue, spray with a fixative before proceeding.
3. Once you have the piece ready, coat the tray thinly with Modge Podge and smooth the art onto the tray, working out any bubbles as you go. Allow this layer to dry completely.
4. Trim off any excess paper and coat with several thin layers of Modge Podge, allowing each to dry before applying the next. Optionally you can coat the entire tray in polyurethane for extra protection.
