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Picture Frame Tray

How to Do It Yourself

Make a picture frame serving tray to showcase vintage photos from your family tree.

A small tray like this would look lovely on a bedside table for your water glass or an end table with a small vase of flowers.

If you want to make a larger tray to support heavier objects, choose a very sturdy frame and brace as directed in the optional note at the end of this tutorial.

Picture Frame Serving Tray Materials

• Vintage-look frame with mat - example is a 17 ¼ x 14 ¾-inch frame; mat is 2 ½ inches with an opening of 8 ½x 11 inches
• Old family photos - the older the better
• Ceramcoat All Purpose Sealer
• Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint - Velvet Brown
• Delta Ceramcoat Gleams Acrylic Paint - Gleams Kim Gold
• Medium size paint brush
• Duck Permanent Double-Sided Tape
• 12 x 12-inch Scrapbook paper - example is Tim Coffey Fall Wheat Scroll
• Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue
• Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Glue
• Acid Free glue stick
• Dritz Fray Check
• Scissors
• 5 Vintage-look buttons in various sizes - In planning the layering, make sure that the buttons are no thicker than the mat + lace + rose embellishments, so the buttons will not interfere with the placement of the glass when assembling.
• Approximately 39 inches of vintage-look tatting or lace
• 4 small ribbon rose embellishments
• 2 Drawer pulls with screws - You may have to find different screws if those that come with the drawer pulls will interfere with inserting the glass into the frame.
• Power drill
• 1/8-inch drill bit
• Screwdriver
• Glazier’s Points #7 by Fletcher
• Metal putty knife
• Pencil
• 4 Rubber stick-on furniture protectors
• Optional for heavy-use frame: four 2 x ½-inch mending brackets with screws

How to Make the Tray

Clean the frame with a small amount of soap and water to remove any dust and dirt. Let it dry completely.

Measure the outside shorter ends of the frame and find the center.

Position each handle to be centered over the frame’s center and mark with a pencil where the screw holes need to go.

Drill the holes for the screws.

If necessary, use the drill bit to open up the inside holes so that the screw heads will be flush or slightly below the wood surface.

You want to be sure the glass, mat and backing will drop in easily past the screw heads.

Paint on a coat of All Purpose Sealer and let dry. Paint two coats of brown paint letting it dry between coats.

If there is a fancy trim on the frame, paint it with gold paint.

In the example, I simply put down some paint on a paper plate and used an old soft rag to lightly brush over the trim, just enough to highlight the trim.

Brush on another coat of All Purpose Sealer and let dry.

Screw the handles on the outside of the frame.

Tape the scrapbook paper to the inside opening of the mat with the double sided tape as shown.

five When sizing the background paper, leave about ¼ inch extra all around the mat opening so that photos can be tucked under the mat as shown below.

Arrange your photos, overlapping them in some areas and tucking some edges under the mat as desired. When you are satisfied, glue the photos in place with the acid-free glue stick.

Position the buttons and glue in place with Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Glue.

Lay the tatting or lace down along the edges of the mat opening making sure the corners will all look the same.

The tatting I used worked out great as it allowed eight scallops along the top and bottom and six scallops along the ends making each corner the same.

Cut the tatting to fit and apply Fray Check to the cut ends. Glue the tatting or lace down with Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue. Glue the ribbon roses at each corner.

Putting It All Together

Clean the glass and place back into the frame, then the mat with attached background paper and photo display and finally the backing cardboard.

Place Glazier’s Points all around the frame about every 2 inches and push them in with the putty knife.

Optional for heavy frame:
Place a mending brace across each corner for added strength and security. Round the outer corners of each brace with a metal file if needed to fit the frame. Screw braces in place.

Cut brown paper to size and glue to back of frame to hide all "the works" and give a professional finish.

Attach a rubber furniture protector to each corner.

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