Painted and Stamped Tray

To corral the reader glasses my husband uses, I bought this unfinished tray at Hobby Lobby for $1.50 and started painting and stamping.  The finished product above will be on the shelf below our phone and answering machine in the spot we sort of lay the glasses in now.

I started with some gold acrylic paint that came out a little bold so I sponged on a washed out beige with an old towel, then stamped the vine design by applying paint to my stamp with a sponge.  I filled in the areas that didn't stamp well with a brush and added some other color.  I'm no artist so it is OK, but no masterpiece.  The last step before adding a varnish was to sponge on some distress ink.  I was afraid this might smear as distress ink is very water soluable. I was right it did spread out when I brushed on the clear varnish borrowed from my husband. It didn't mess up my tray but it almost messed up the varnish as some of it got back into the can via the brush.  Fortunately I was able to clean most of it out.  Whew!  I almost ruined an $18 can of varnish; that would have certainly put a damper on my thrifty project.

The stamp is from the old Kindred Spirits set by Stampin' Up!  I picked it because it isn't too floral and feminine.  I really shouldn't worry about making it too feminine.  His glasses would probably be more at home in a bright floral container. He gets them at the Dollar Tree which apparently stocks glasses mostly for women or these are the ones no one else wants. He buys 'guy' style classes when he can find them but many are like these:

There is another pair like this one that has little blue flowers along the top.

Purple cat's eye ones with rhinestones, he does wear them - I kid you not.  The purple frames will match the little berries I painted on the tray. :-)

He isn't that taken with rhinestones and flowers, but he is taken with a bargain.  They do make everyone smile.

Thanks for visiting today!