Turn A Dollar Tree Fall Tray From Cheap To Fabulous
As autumn rolls in, it's time to search for fun and creative ways to spice up your home's fall décor, pun intended. TikToker @perkinsonparkway shared one such crafting project after visiting the local Dollar Tree, turning plastic leaf trays into something much more chic. At $1.25 per tray, not only will this DIY save you money while decorating for the fall season, but the Dollar Tree hack is customizable, too — making it possible to match any home aesthetic.
The key to this hack is paint. The Dollar Tree fall trays, which are shaped like maple leaves, come in three colors: red, orange, and green. But they're also metallic in finish, which might not be what someone's looking to bring into their home. However, with a bit of paint, you can easily transform these dollar trays into accent pieces that work with whatever your home's fall look may be. These bespoke fall leaf trays, measuring 9 inches by 8.5 inches by 1.5 inches, will work great as part of an autumnal tablescape or perhaps by the entryway, as a tray to hold keys or trinkets.
Transform Dollar Tree trays with paint
As @perkinsonparkway explains, you only need a few supplies to recreate this crafty hack yourself. Start with Dollar Tree leaf trays, then gather some paint, baking soda, and glue. While @perkinsonparkway adds wooden balls to the bottom of the trays to provide them with some height, this step is optional. You also can use some other type of material for the same effect, such as square blocks, pebbles, or cork.
Once your supplies are set, apply your paint. For a ceramic look, you'll need to mix paint and baking soda together. Since these trays are plastic, the best type of paint to use is acrylic paint (which is also the best type of paint to use when painting pumpkins). You just need to ensure each tray's plastic surface is clean, which will help the paint adhere and cure.
If you're worried about adding paint to your trays, though, (if, for example, the tray will be near any food), you can get a similar ceramic effect with chalk paint, which is water-based, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. Depending on the type of paint you use for this Dollar Tree DIY, you may need two to three coats to completely cover the tray's original metallic finish.