DIY Stenciled Bee Tray

We’re sharing a DIY Stenciled Bee Tray as we team up with some of our favorite creative ladies for the Handcrafted Society Blog Hop.

If you’re new here, welcome, we’re excited to have you join us for this special monthly event!

The Handcrafted Society is a group of talented bloggers sharing a themed craft.

Towards the end of this post, you’ll find images and links to the projects for each blogger.  

I hope you enjoy browsing through all of the creative ideas these ladies have created. 

All you have to do is click on the image or blog name to view their full post.

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Our Stenciled Bee Tray Inspiration…

Recently we had so much fun hosting my vintage holiday birthday party.

It was such a gift to have everyone gathered around the table because it’s one of my all-time favorite simple pleasures.

Especially, when we can linger a bit while enjoying a cup of coffee and each other’s company.

Any time we have people over I try to do as many things as I can in advance.

So, just before everyone was set to arrive, I placed all the teacups on a wicker tray next to the coffee station.

Looking back, I must have been in a rush because it never occurred to me that the grooves from the wicker tray would cause the teacups to be unstable.

After all, they seemed secure.

But once I started walking towards the table, I could see the teacups threatening to spill over and it made me nervous I was going to lose everything on the tray.

While I still adore my wicker tray, I realize now it’s probably not going to be the best solution when serving coffee and tea to a big group.

So, I searched through my stash of wooden trays and found the perfect way to upcycle one of them using a bit of paint and a bee stencil.

Here’s a look at how to create a DIY Stenciled Bee Tray…

DIY Stenciled Bee Tray Supplies:

• Tray
• Paint for Tray (We used White Adirondack)
• Paintbrush for Tray
• Sandpaper, optional (We used 220-grit)
• Specialty Burlap Paper (We found this 12×24 single sided specialty burlap cardstock paper in the paper craft section of Joanns)
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Stencil
• Paint for Stencil (We used Licorice Black by )
• Stencil Brush
• Painters Tape
• Paper Towel (Lint-Free towels are best if you can find them)
• Glue or Spray Adhesive

DIY Stenciled Bee Tray Steps:

Gather your supplies and make sure your work surface is free from dirt and debris.

Paint your tray and allow it to dry completely before moving on to the next steps.

We painted this DIY stenciled bee tray using Folk Art Chalk Paint in White Adirondack.

After the paint has properly dried, distress with fine grit sandpaper, if desired.

Next, using caution and care as scissors will be sharp, measure and cut your specialty cardstock burlap paper to the size you need.

Keep in mind, you don’t want the paper to be so tight it bubbles, simply tight enough that it fits securely.

Once you have your burlap paper cut to size, place your bee stencil on top.

Then secure the bee stencil in place with painters’ tape.

Dip your stencil brush into your craft paint.

Next, brush off any excess craft paint onto a lint free paper towel.

Then apply the paint to the stencil.

Keep in mind, it’s much easier to add additional paint with a fine detail art brush than to have blobs of paint smudging through the lines of your stencil.

Allow the paint from your stencil to dry completely.

Then carefully, remove the tape and lift the stencil off the burlap paper.

Reposistion your bee stenciled burlap paper back into the tray, and secure it onto the DIY stenciled bee tray with glue or spray adhesive. 

We used a hot glue.

Once the glue has been properly secured, your DIY stenciled bee tray is ready to enjoy!

Things to Keep in Mind…

If you spill something on your DIY stenciled bee tray, you’ll need to spot treat it.

You’ll also want to use a coaster or a saucer to prevent potential water rings.

In addition, be sure to clean your stencil immediately after use. That way, the paint doesn’t dry or cake up!

What We Love About This Tray…

What we love about DIY stenciled bee tray is that it’s relatively easy to create, which makes it perfect for gifting.

Especially, if you need a last-minute idea.

We used a classic bee stencil.

But you can use any stencil you like which makes it perfectly customizable to fit any home decor.

We also love that this DIY stenciled bee tray was created from an old tray which makes upcycling a tray from the thrift store easy peasy!

Additional Projects from the Handcrafted Society…

Speaking of easy peasy, here are some additional projects from the Handcrafted Society to enjoy and explore:

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo