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
I knew for the holidays I wanted to have a fresh fruit centerpiece. When I had the pleasure of visiting the Better Homes and Gardens Headquarters earlier this year, Nancy Hopkins shared with us how easy it is to make a beautiful centerpiece using items from your kitchen! 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 1×12 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 1×12 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!
This is awesome ladies! I never would have thought to do this with a frame! Gorgeous!
Thank you Summer!! : ) xoxox
Yummy! Wonderful idea!
Thanks so much!! : )
Love this, Ashley! Brilliant and simple. :)
Thanks Rachel! : ) My family ate it pretty much immediately, but I’ll take that over begging for sweets any day! ; ) My picky little eaters!
I honestly never would have thought of this! Such a creative and lovely idea Ashley! Thanks for taking the challenge with me!
Thanks Alice! : ) So fun participating with you lovely ladies! So much talent! Thanks for the invite! : ) Have a great week!
Very pretty. Love the richness of the all the colors. x
Thanks so much Danielle! I love the rich colors of Christmas… then it’s back to painting everything white for me, lol!
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
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 ; )!!
BRILLIANT! I love how quick and easy it is, yet it’s still a clean and elegant tray! Great DIY!
Thanks Kyla! xoxox
Beautiful! Edible centerpieces are the best kind :)
Yes! My family would very much agree! haha! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer! Have a great week!
Great idea for a low profile centerpiece! Looks so good piled with fruit and greens.
Thanks Jessica! I love having fresh anything on my table : ) My kids devoured it already! Have a great week!
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!
Thanks so much Cassie! This is one centerpiece I didn’t mind that my kids literally ate ; )
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
This is genius way to reuse a frame and piece of wood. Love it, so useful. You’ve sure inspired me. So glad you shared this idea. I’ll be going around looking at my frames differently. Might make good gifts, making some trays and dress them up a bit. Your tray with fruit looks so festive with all the pretty colored fruit in it with the pine sprays. Wish we had a pine tree in our yard.
In KY I’d go out and cut some branches off for decoration. We had whole row of pine trees between our property and neighbors but trees were on our side so wasn’t doing something I shouldn’t. Had really nice pine cones on trees also. Have to have my pine cones at this time of year, so handy for decorating.
Hope you have wonderful weekend, happy creating Really enjoy your blog and projects.
Thanks so much JaneEllen! : ) I’m so glad you like this and found inspiration in it! Have a fantastic week!
Great use of old frames
Thanks Niki! : )
I’ve never thought to use old frames for a tray! Genius!! And this looks gorgeous!
Thanks so much Charlotte! : ) xoxox
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
Thanks so much Jann! It was such a fun blog hop! Loved seeing what everyone sees in what others find as “junk” : )
Your centerpiece tray looks so fresh with all of those lovely fruits and greenery in it! It reminds me of a classic Victorian Christmas :)
Thanks Emily! : ) My kids already ate it, but it was beautiful while it lasted : )
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