Silver Tray Chalkboards

I've always loved vintage silver trays. You can easily find them at flea markets, garage sales and online for little of nothing.   Many of them have out lived their silver plating and you can see the brass or steel showing from underneath their once gleaming finishes.  Well, here's a way to give them a new lease on life - and all it takes is some chalkboard paint and a few branches.

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For mine I used tinted chalkboard bank.  You can have them match any color you'd like at the hardware store.  Do a couple of light coats of paint, this avoids brush marks.  If you have etching on the tray you'll notice that often it'll still show through, looking somewhat like tooled leather which I really like.  If you want it completely smooth, just add a few more coats.

Home and Family 4036 Final Photo Assets

To finish them off I added a few branches, leaves or berries.  You can use live or faux.  Just hold them in place with a drop of hot glue here and there.  Tie a bit of ribbon around the handles and hang.  Perfect for that entry hall welcome message or a fun menu board for the dining room....and you've given an old tray a new beginning.