Santa Serving Tray: Give new life to your old sterling silver
- Tracey Bellion
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
I've had this old silver tray for as long as I can remember....one of many, actually....big, beautifully worn, and completely tarnished from years of serving guests and gatherings.
This year, instead of tucking it away again, I decided it deserved a moment in the Christmas spotlight. So when I stumbled across the most gorgeous decoupage paper designed to be painted over, I knew that this tired old tray was about to get a second life as a Santa Serving Tray!
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Supplies Used: Santa Serving Tray
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Step to Create Your Custom-Made Santa Tray
A simple, soft watercolor wash later, and it turned out so dreamy that I couldn't not share with you. My hope is that it encourages you to look at your own thrifted or forgotten silver pieces with new eyes.....because sometimes the old, unloved things make the most treasured art!
The steps to create this piece are as follows:
1. Wash your tray with White Lightning, rinse well and dry completely.
2. Prime the area of the tray that you plan to decoupage with Clear Bonding Boss and allow to dry.
3. Paint the area of the tray that will be underneath the decoupage in a single coat of Fluff white.
4. Apply the Santa decoupage paper with my decoupage technique:
~ spritz back of paper lightly with water and set paper aside
~ paint a single coat of clear coat satin on the surface you want to decoupage (over the white paint that has dried)
~ lay down the paper and smooth out bubbles and wrinkles with a wadded ball of saran wrap
~ trim off excess paper using an exacto knife
~ paint another single coat of clear coat satin over the top of the paper and allow to dry
➡️ Visit my How to Apply Decoupage blog for more detailed instruction to apply decoupage paper.
5. To enhance the beautiful carvings I applied a fresh coat of Gilding Wax in silver by lightly rubbing over the raised areas with my finger. This does not need a top coat and cures within 72 hours.
Adding a Touch of Color
You could stop here, with the monochromatic look of the silver tray and santa... but I chose to water down several colors of paint and use it as a watercolor to add subtle color to his eyes, lips and cheeks.
You could certainly color (paint) him in just as you do a coloring book page....with bold colors! In fact, I found two more decoupage papers that are also designed to allow you to paint them in. You can find both the paintable Nutcracker and Christmas Tree here.
PRO TIP: I do not recommend using this tray to serve on....and I certainly wouldn't wash it. You can wipe down with a damp cloth but do not use soap or submerge in water. I will be using mine for holiday decor only.
The Finished Look: Santa Serving Tray
If you have silver pieces with no sentimental value....or thrifted finds you've been saving for "someday"....this is your sign to try something new. Give them a makeover and make them part of your home's story. And if you do.....I'd love to see what you create!
More Inspiration: Christmas Furniture and Decor
Christmas projects fill my heart with joy and I have so many to share! I hope you can use them to draw inspiration for your upcoming project.
Holiday Themed Wine Bottles - an quick and easy hostess gift with a big impact
Winter Wonderland Vintage Globe - THREE stunning hand-painted Christmas images
Nutcracker Fabric Chair - with a matching holiday holograph table top
Whimsical Christmas Decorations - learn how to make your own jumbo finial
Santa Art - learn my "trick" to create our own custom canvas art design
Santa Globe - Transfer a standard globe into holiday home decor
Christmas Gumball Machine - elf gumball machine for more holiday cheer
Santa Desk - a red beauty for Santa himself
Whimsy Nutcracker - Glow-Up ideas for a generic store-bought nutcracker
Nutcracker Entry Table - Let's make Christmas furniture a thing!
If you like this Santa serving tray as a gift idea, check out some of my other custom made gift ideas...
Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details
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