Hello, hello all of you lovely friends! How was your Thanksgiving?
We enjoyed some nice time hosting family at our home, followed by going “over the river and through the woods” to chop down our Christmas Tree on Friday. We all yell “timber” and then I sing “O’ Christmas Tree” at the top of my lungs while my children beg for me to stop which of course only makes me sing more loudly and with a slight opera quality to it.
Tis the season for mommy to be embarrassing right?
Are you feverishly getting those halls decked and those stockings hung by the chimney with care?
I’m mostly done with my decorating and now I’m just having some fun doing my favorite kind of projects…quick, easy and practically free!
I needed to change out my robin’s egg blue tray on our ottoman in the family room for something more festive and wintery but I have a slight addiction to trays and just couldn’t justify purchasing one more.
So, I dug through my collection to see what I could come up with and found this dingy old wooden tray which has definitely seen better days.
See my paperwhites there in the background? This is my first year growing them and it has been so much fun! The kids just love checking them every day to see how they are changing and it is nice to have something alive and growing when everything else looks so dead and barren.
Ok…back to the tray!
I started out by painting it white but really wanted to give it some Christmas pizzazz.
(am I the only one who feels the sudden urge to do “jazz hands” when typing out that word?)
After picking up 2 rolls of this music sheet wrapping paper at TJ Maxx, I knew I had found just the thing!
Using good old Mod Podge, I added it to the inside of the tray.
It really soaked up the Mod Podge and was hard to keep from getting wrinkled but I kind of like how it gave it a more aged and weathered look.
I decided to leave the handles black for some contrast and moved it into its new home.
I just love my “new” Christmas tray and love it even more since it was practically free!
Here it is all loaded up in our family room and I think it adds the perfect finishing touch. It joins our “Family Tree” which is where all of the paper angels and other handmade ornaments find a home during the season. You can even catch a glimpse of what has been happening around the rest of our house over the last few days!
Is it really bad that I stole these trees from my daughter’s dollhouse to create
this little winter scene in my glass cloche? Don’t answer that!
The delightful bonus came when I realized that my musical themed Christmas coasters were the perfect match of my music sheet tray!
I am so excited to be kicking the Christmas Season off here at the Fence and we have many more projects and ideas to share with you over the next few weeks.
Some of them we will be revealing next week at the Blogger Block Party!
![christmasblockpartyfinal_thumb[2]](https://lh5.ggpht.com/-QcNflEIQ9iE/TsVNT4pAQ5I/AAAAAAAAFEk/mh02yaMgTUM/christmasblockpartyfinal_thumb%25255B2%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
Are you ready for it? We can’t wait to see what you fantastically creative folks have been up to!
Thanks so much for joining me today at the Fence,
This post is partying here:
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday’s Treasures
DIY By Design: Fall Into Fall
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
No Minimalist Here: Open House Party
Ivy and Elephants: What’s It Wednesdays
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday
2805: Potpourri Friday
Stuff and Nonsense: Friday’s Unfolded
Too Much Time on My Hands: Get Schooled Saturday
This is so charming! I’m going to have to check my local Homegoods for that paper!
Love the tray! And I LOVE the wrapping paper!! Did you get it this year at TJMaxx? I’m going to have to check mine out if you did. Your decorations look beautiful!
The tray is gorgeous..great job! And you’ve given me an idea to switch a glass cloche from a cheese keeper by putting a claypot tray on the bottom!
Thanks!
Vanessa that came out soooo cute!! I love that wrapping paper! Your house looks beautiful! Martina
That tray is adorable. I have some old sheet music from WW I that we found in my grandfather’s barn. I think color copies of that music would give the same effect. Thanks for the idea!
Fabulous paper and the tray is stunning. Such a great idea. I love the vignette you placed on it too. Great tree in the background also. Hugs, marty
LOVE it, and I think I got the same paper! It’s so pretty, hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Going to share this on FB!
Debbie
Your tray looks great with the new look! Great idea!
😉 LOVE IT! Secretly, I know you did this for me! lol…remember? I won your Pottery Barn giveaway with a comment about Christmas and sheet music! LOL <3
-Evey
That paper is beautiful. It would coordinate perfectly with the new holiday runner I have in my dining room. I’m going to have to go and check out my TJ Maxx and Home Goods. I love what you did with the tray. It’s my favorite thing when I have everything in the house for such a fun project. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Can’t wait for the block party.
Love, love, love this! I think it’s a do-able project!! I have some old metal trays I found at Goodwill I just might try this on. I’m really enjoying the blog at the start of the holidays!! You two are making it fun and real. I’m hoping the garlands are all staying in place by now!
xo
Lynn
I love the tray! I really need to stop at TJMaxx for wrapping paper!
Susan
Wow, great wrapping paper, Vanessa! I don’t know that I’d be able to wrap gifts with that ~ I think I’d want to hold onto it for myself! : ) Love the tray and it works so well with your coasters. It’s taking me a little while this year to get my decorating done and I do still have a couple of projects to do before I actually put a few last remaining things out.
Love the tray- great idea- that wrapping paper is wonderful! Love that you used something you already had.
What would our kids’ childhoods be if we didn’t embarass them!! 🙂
Very cute! I’ve got a really ugly tray I may try that with. I have some antique sheet music that would improve its appearance.
Come by Knick of Time to enter my Giveaway of a Canvas Photo Print! n Just in time for Christmas!
Blessings,
Angie
Beautiful, beautiful tray, Vanessa! I wish I’d seen that awesome paper at TJMaxx! Love the vignette and your snow scene, too! (I’m huge on snow this year!) And, I LOVE that you sing at the top of your lungs and try to embarrass your kiddos when you can … yet another reason why I love ya! xoxo
Love the tray. Great pictures, too.
Love it!! Great sheet music….gonna have to keep my eye out for some….you always have the BEST photos:-)
What great wrapping paper, perfect for the tray!
Karee
You are so creative! I love how you redid that tray. It looks perfect on your coffee table the way you’re using it. I spy some pretty Christmas decorations in the background too. Looking forward to the parties.
No, you’re not the only one who does jazz hands. Great job upcycling your tray, and you created a beautiful vignette with your stolen trees. lol
The tray is adorable!
It came out beautifully! I love that paper!
Vanessa, I love the tray and the wrapping paper is wonderful! Looks like another trip to TJM for me. Your home i beautiful decorated for Christmas.
Hugs,
Sherry
Pizzazz! Yep. I just had the urge to do jazz hands.
Of course I love it! I have a freaky fixation with decopage and have been looking around the house for my next poor hapless victim to cover in gift wrap.
Your Christmas tree story is hilarious! LOL! Love your tray!
I absolutely love this!!! The tree cutting story, the tray, the paper, the honesty of the little Christmas trees (which are perfect for the cloche!). I will do Jazz Hands just because this made me smile!!
i love it too!
Vanessa~ Love this!!!
And my darling, dearest friend.
Please come over and get me started decorating at the Country House!
I need a decorating partner.:o)
That’s amazing and so beautiful. I love music sheets and the French look so I’m literally drooling on my screen lol!
I hope you get a chance to join our Christmas blog party which started today – we’re having a great time and know that everyone would love your project.
Happy December!
The tray is beautiful! Using the music sheets is a perfect way to spice up a tray! I’m stealing this idea!
Thank you for linking this terrific idea to Potpourri Friday!.
I love that wrapping paPER , i’M JEALOUS i WANT SOME SO BAD. iF i WASN’T HAVING A HEALTH ISSUE i WOULD BE DOWN TO jEFFERSON cITY AND LOOK FOR SOME RIGHT NOW.
lOVE HOW YOU USED IT
CAN you tell it’s my eyes ?sorry about all the caps
Vanessa, it looks great! And I love how the coasters “go” with the tray. Nicely done my friend. =) We have a Mary Engelbreit The Night Before Christmas book and last night Adia just noticed that we have coasters that are from the book. We’ve had both for years and I got the book from a thrift store and the coasters from my mother in law. Funny how they go together. lol
~ Catie
I love your tray so wish I had that store near me have to travel an hour to get there maybe I can talk him into going this week!!!
I have 6 old trays in my garage! However, I am fresh out of vintage sheet music and am on the lookout now:)Thank you so much for linking up your lovely project at Get Schooled Saturday. We will be open for business again Friday night-Sunday night!
Kim @ Too Much Time
http://www.kim-toomuchtimeonmyhands.blogspot.com