{Little Trays...}

It all started with this...

...a wooden tray for my violets. This tray was originally built because we had a butcher block counter top on our island and I didn't want the water from the plants to cause stains on the surface of the wood top. I liked it so much I decided to keep using it on our new island, even though we don't really need it for water stains anymore. (Please, don't look at my violets right now; they aren't very happy in our new home. I just haven't found the right place for them, yet.)

Then another tray was built for our kitchen oils, spices, salt and pepper. It's purpose is to keep all the nasty residue off the countertop...

I thought one would look nice on our fireplace mantel to hold candles. The candles are quite lovely lit, and now I don't have to worry about the wax ruining our paint finish on the mantel...

This is my favorite little tray. It is filled with the little rocks that "The Kid" has brought to me as "gifts"...so sweet. He found those rocks just for me...

Then one more was built to hold our phones, sunglasses, wallets, and keys. It works to keep our junk all in one place so the junk doesn't look so bad (at least that's what I tell myself)...

They are super simple to make...

You will need:

• Wood: 1x2 pine boards for the sides, 1x4, 1x6, 1x8, or 1x10 pine boards for the bottom (depending on how big you want your tray) cut to your desired length.
• Nail gun
• Stain
• Foam brush

1. Cut the bigger piece of wood to length. The hardware store will do this for you if you do not have a saw. I used regular pine boards in different lengths for the boxes above.
2. Cut the 1x2 to fit to the ends of the bottom board and nail in place.

3. Cut the 1x2 sides to fit and nail in place.

4. Sand, if you need too. (I didn't...just so you know.)

5. Stain with your desired color (or paint). I used two coats of English Chestnut stain mixed with a touch of Special Walnut.

6. Seal with poly. For this little guy, I used spray poly. For the bigger ones, I used a foam brush and regular poly.

I made this little one for my side table next to our bed. I thought this tray would be perfect to lay my jewelry and watch on at night. 

I also thought that I might add handles, like these…

…to make them even more functional.  I picked up these utility handles from Home Depot (in the window isle, not the cabinet hardware isle.)

Go ahead, try it. What will you use yours for? I could probably find a hundred more reasons to build a tray.

I've linked...