A Tray For All Seasons

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There’s nothing like dropping by your favorite craft store to refresh your home with ideas for the holidays. And there’s no better way to start than with a colorful centerpiece for your dining room table or buffet. When I spotted this unfinished tray I knew just what I wanted to do — and how I could use it for several holiday events rather than just one. Interested? Just keep on reading ….

After a light sanding I reached for two tubes of my favorite combination stain-and-finish for craft projects:  Minwax® Express Color. It’s water based and comes in eight colors.

Since I am going to use two colors of stain, Emerald and Crimson, I applied painter’s masking tape to prevent my first stain from running onto the base of my tray.

You can apply Express Color™ with a cloth, but I opted for a foam brush to get into the corners and inside the handles.

Before it dried, however, I did use a paper towel to wipe off the excess stain, letting the grain of the wood show through.

I then peeled back the tape, revealing a few little drips that I can quickly sand or scrape off.

Quick Tip:  A wide painter’s or putty knife can be used as a shield to keep your stain exactly where you want it.

Again, I wipe off all the excess stain, going in the direction of the grain of the wood.

Since Minwax® Express Color™contains its own finish, a clear coat is not necessary. But if you want to give the wood some extra protection, simply brush on a coat of Minwax® Polycrylic Protective Finish, which is also water based.

And here’s my best idea of the day:  use an inexpensive place mat to make your colorful tray adapt to whatever holiday is at hand . . .

Or whatever event you may be hosting.

Until next week,

Thanks for stopping by!

Bruce

PS – Don’t forget to check out the Minwax® Facebook page for more tips and pictures, plus contests you can win!