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Thursday, May 27, 2010

Sad Clearance Tray to Magazine Rack

Our magazine situation is out of control. Not that we buy a lot of magazines, it's just that the ones we do get tend to grow and reproduce when they live in our bathroom. The way our master bath is laid out, the toilet is in its own little room (think closet). It's nice, but because of that, there's really no room for anything else. So the three magazines that turned into 15 (not kidding) were really bugging us.

So I started dreaming up ways to decrease the magazine clutter because eliminating it all together just wasn't going to happen. I knew a wall-mount magazine rack was what we needed but I refused to pay full-price for a pre-made one...so you know what happens next...
I started looking for a cheap serving tray that I could turn into my own version of a magazine rack. Then I ran across this price tag the other day at one of my favorite decor dives. To be honest, I'm such a tightwad that I really didn't want to pay more than $3...but this tray was sturdy and well made and $6 isn't too crazy. Plus, those magazines had to go!
The before. First I primed it with Kilz spray paint and then gave it a good coat of Rustoleum's Heirloom White spray paint.

I did feel a little better knowing I had clearance paint at home to use on the project. 50 cents for paint!! I'm not an impulse buyer, but it's difficult to keep me from the "oops paint" section of Home Depot.
I didn't have any paint brushes small enough for the job I wanted to do so I swiped one from an old make up kit I had tucked away. A nice Merle Norman angled brush. I know, I know. Look away...
I picked out my stencil online and first tried tracing onto wax paper with the intention of cutting it out...but then soon realized that there was no way I could cut those rounded edges well. If you like this stencil you can find it here.
(I really do know how to trace...those black streaks were to show me where I had already traced...haha)

So then I remembered a tutorial I had seen from Infarrantly Creative where she used pencil to transfer stencil to a painted surface. See her really great idea and step-by-step here.
I followed her steps and the pencil transferred the stencil perfectly and quickly!
Then I just filled it all in using my oops paint and make up brush. After it was finished it still needed "something" so I added some fleurs using another (real) stencil I had on hand.
The tray was cute now, but it wasn't going to hold magazines to the wall very well as is. So using some wood glue, I added some leftover moulding we had in the garage to the front of the tray and let it dry overnight.
The finished product. The arrow is showing you the moulding in the background...that's the project that gave me some leftover moulding to work with. It's our breakfast room chair rail that is a work-in-progress.
And I'm not showing it to you mounted because, well, you don't want to see my toilet. But here she is hard at work holding the two publications you will always find in my house: the BIBLE and Texas Monthly.
The only thing I purchased was the tray for $6.80. Everything else - paint, primer, wood glue, moulding - I had on hand. Not too bad for a fun and easy project that will really help us organize a small space!

I'm linking to:
CSI Project (sorry girls, couldn't get the button to load)

19 comments:

  1. Brilliant! Love how this turned out. :-)

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  2. Love the added molding - So unique and clever! Great idea!

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  3. What a simple and pretty project! My only setback is that I never have "leftover" things like molding and 2x4s... LOL

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  5. What a great idea! I love the colors you used too! Wonderful!

    Thanks so much for linking up to the CSI Project! We really appreciate it. I hope you will come back next week for our Hardware Store challenge!

    XOXO
    Jen

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  6. you are so clever! I love this - I could use one of these in my girls bathroom and I just saw one at Goodwill! I may have to go back♥

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  7. thanks for linking to my stencil pattern! glad it came in handy for you!

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  8. So incredibly smart! Love this idea! Your blog is a gem, and I am now happily following along.

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog to leave the gracious comment on my homemade citronella candle tutorial. I truly appreciate it.

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  9. What a great project! I've been on the hunt for something for our tiny first-floor "library." I'll have to keep my eye out for a tray at Salvation Army! Thanks for the idea!
    Heather

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  10. That is so smart! What a fabulous idea! Soo cute!

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  11. That is so clever. Your blog is very fun to read. I'm a new follower. :)

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  12. So cute. What a clever idea to use the tray and trim to create what you needed!

    I’m hosting a new link party “Cheap Thrills Thursday”. It’s for creative ideas that cost under $20. If you have a project you’d like to share, I’d love for you to stop by and join in Thursday!
    Kat
    www.BlackKatsDesign.blogspot.com

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  13. Great project, now i am looking for a bargin tray.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Traci

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  14. Cute idea! Loved following your pictures through each step :)

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  15. Love the stencil - if you plan on doing more of them in future projects they actually still sell old fashioned carbon paper at office supply stores - then you only have to trace once :)

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  16. Such a great idea! I love this!

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  17. Ain't that creative! I always think nail gun, but wood glue is much safer...

    this looks great!

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I love to read each and every comment! Thank you for stopping by!