Thrift Tray Makeover with a Faux Rust and Aqua Finish

I’ve never been a good flea market thrifter.

I don’t know why.  Maybe it’s concentration.  Sometimes, when I walk into those big buildings filled with wall-to-wall treasures, I just can’t seem to focus.  And the whole thing becomes one big mind boggle.

But one thing I do know is this.  What I lack in flea market skills, I more than make up for in retail thrifting skills.  That’s right, dear friends.  Momma is a clearance shopper.

Take this tray, for example.

The poor thing was smothering under a boatload of candleholders, pictures, wall accessories, and general junk at one of my very fav retailers.  As I walked by, I could hear the cry for help.  And, although it took a while to dig it out, it was surely more than worth the effort.  Turns out, this little beauty was 90% off, only scratched a little here and there, and had super great bones.  For $6.00, I just knew this was the little tray that could.

First up in the glam up was a little light sanding.  The finish was really slick, plus I wanted to dull the red just a tad.

Next, a thin coat of rust colored chalk paint was applied.  More paint went towards the outer ring and in the joints because……well…that’s usually the way rust accumulates.  Right?

After the rust chalk paint dried, additional layers were either heaped on in piles of paint or feathered on with a nearly dry brush.  The colors were aqua, charcoal gray, and black.  And…I let the paint completely dry between layers.

This photo was made using a special lense.  Is it easier to see the layered paint applied at random?

And the texture created by the paint piles?  This was mainly done with the aqua color.

There was absolutely no sanding done to create the final finish.  It was all managed with paint and brush techniques.

The outer side and the handles were dry brushed.  If you aren’t familiar with dry brushing, just lightly dip the paint brush in the paint, then wipe about 95% of the paint off on a rag or paper towel.  Then, with a very light hand, stroke the brush across the surface.

And that’s all there is to it.  🙂

Then, just sit back and enjoy.

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If you appreciate this tray makeover, I’d surely love for you to share.

Thanks so much!