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Decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, but let's be honest.... it can get expensive! I am always looking to pick things up at thrift stores or garage sales. It's a pretty bitter subject with my husband to talk about all the things we have dragged across the country because I'm "going to use that one day". On the bright side of that though, I can make projects for just dollars, usually without having to go to the store! Christmas can be financially stressful, but today I'm here along with 30 others bloggers to share with you one of the ways I decorate for Christmas with thrift store finds!
You might recognize this centerpiece tray from my Fall Home Tour, I just switched out the leaves for some of the clippings from an evergreen bush in my backyard. This little tray is actually made from scrap wood and a thrift store picture frame! I found 3 of these huge frames for just a few dollars.
How to Make a Centerpiece Tray
Not only is it cost affective, but your family can enjoy the "fruit" of your project. Pun SO intended ; ). The only problem was I didn't have anything to put this fruit on to keep it from rolling away. So I went down into my pile of "stuff I will use one day" and saw these picture frames. They were the perfect edge I was looking for, and I knew exactly what to do.
I had an extra piece of a 1x12 I had used for something else... so I got that out and measured the sides. I cut down my frame using my Ryobi Miter Saw at a 45 degree angle on the corners. I cut off the corners so I only had to join up 2 seams rather than 4.
Then I placed the cut corners of the picture frame onto my 1x12 and nailed it down using my Ryobi Airstrike Nailer.
Now just paint it and it's time to decorate your table!
Head out to the grocery store and pick up some fruits, I went with apples and pears, and then I went out in my backyard and clipped some stems off of an evergreen bush < my gardening expertise is really coming out, surely that's not what it's actually called, but you get the point!
Now just start layering your fruit and evergreens.
As it filled up I also stuck a few twigs and continued putting some of the evergreen stems in there.
Now obviously this centerpiece isn't meant to last forever. My kids immediately starting enjoying the fruit, but that was part of the beauty in it. This is a great thing to set out when you have company coming over!
I hope you are inspired to find something at a thrift store and turn it into something beautiful! These fabulous ladies are here to show you what they have created for Christmas with their thrift store finds. Take a stroll through and enjoy all those beautiful pictures.
Have a beautiful day!
Summer
This is awesome ladies! I never would have thought to do this with a frame! Gorgeous!
Katie
Thank you Summer!! : ) xoxox
BrocanteuseRose
Yummy! Wonderful idea!
Katie
Thanks so much!! : )
Danielle Driscoll
Very pretty. Love the richness of the all the colors. x
Kaite
Thanks so much Danielle! I love the rich colors of Christmas... then it's back to painting everything white for me, lol!
Rachel Paxton
Love this! Brilliant and simple. 🙂
Katie
Thanks Rachel! : ) My family ate it pretty much immediately, but I'll take that over begging for sweets any day! ; ) My picky little eaters!
Alice W.
I honestly never would have thought of this! Such a creative and lovely idea! Thanks for taking the challenge with me!
Katie
Thanks Alice! : ) So fun participating with you lovely ladies! So much talent! Thanks for the invite! : ) Have a great week!
Brenda Kula
You're quite the DIYer! I want to learn to use tools to make things like this. First, the tray is perfect. And the natural display on top is the icing on the proverbial cake!
Brenda
Katie
haha, thank you Brenda! I try ; ) My dad was always out building things and I just tried to pay attention. They are a lot more scary to look at than to use ; )!!
Kyla @HouseofHipsters.com
BRILLIANT! I love how quick and easy it is, yet it's still a clean and elegant tray! Great DIY!
Katie
Thanks Kyla! xoxox
Jennifer@The Chronicles of Home
Beautiful! Edible centerpieces are the best kind 🙂
Katie
Yes! My family would very much agree! haha! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer! Have a great week!
Jessica @ Dear Emmeline
Great idea for a low profile centerpiece! Looks so good piled with fruit and greens.
Katie
Thanks Jessica! I love having fresh anything on my table : ) My kids devoured it already! Have a great week!
cassie
i love how you made the frame into a tray and i LOVE how all the fresh fruit and greens just pop off that white tray!
Katie
Thanks so much Cassie! This is one centerpiece I didn't mind that my kids literally ate ; )
Tammy
This turned out just beautifully! What a wonderful idea for a centerpiece! I am definitely going to create one for my table, thanks so much for sharing!
Tammy
Niki meiners
Great use of old frames
Katie
Thanks Niki! : )
Charlotte @ Ciburbanity
I've never thought to use old frames for a tray! Genius!! And this looks gorgeous!
Jann olson
Such a clever idea to use the frame for the tray edge. I love having fresh fruit out for the holidays as well. Your festive filled tray is just beautiful! This has been such a fun blog hop! Big shout out to Alice.
hugs,
Jann
Katie
Thanks so much Jann! It was such a fun blog hop! Loved seeing what everyone sees in what others find as "junk" : )
Emily @ Two Purple Couches
Your centerpiece tray looks so fresh with all of those lovely fruits and greenery in it! It reminds me of a classic Victorian Christmas 🙂
Katie
Thanks Emily! : ) My kids already ate it, but it was beautiful while it lasted : )
Katie
Thanks so much Charlotte! : ) xoxox
Katie
Thanks so much JaneEllen! : ) I'm so glad you like this and found inspiration in it! Have a fantastic week!