Home Decor Crafts: Black & Gold Fleur De Lis Tray

Decorative tea trays are a great way to inexpensively spice up your decor! This simple black and gold Fleur de Lis tray looks as though it were purchased in an expensive trendy home decor boutique, when in all actuality it was only made for a few dollars.

For this project, you will need (per tray):

- One unfinished wooden tea tray (available at craft supply stores)
- Medium or fine grit sandpaper sheets
- Tack cloth or other similar style soft cloth
- Krylon Indoor Outdoor Primer in All-Purpose White
- Krylon Indoor Outdoor Paint in Gloss Black
- Four inch or larger Fleur de Lis stencil (available at paint supply stores)
- Pencil
- Masking tape
- Krylon Metallic Leafing Pen in 14K Gold
- Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Finishing Spray
- Newspaper and/or a large drop cloth

To start your tray creation, cover the space in which you will be crafting with several sheets of old newspaper and/or a large sized drop cloth. Carefully sand the outside of the unfinished wooden tea tray with sheets of medium or fine grit sandpaper. Wipe down the tray using a tack cloth or other similar style soft cloth. Make sure you have removed any and all grit and dust from the outside surface of the wood.

Prime all sides of the wooden tray using a layer of Krylon Indoor Outdoor Primer in All-Purpose White. Allow the primed wood to dry for a couple hours. Paint the tray with three to five even coats of Krylon Indoor Outdoor Paint in Gloss Black, drying fifteen minutes between layers. Once the black painted tray has dried fully, continue on.

Turn the tray face up on the work area. Adhere the four inch Fleur de Lis stencil to the center of the tray with masking tape. Fill in the Fleur de Lis symbol using a Krylon Metallic Leafing Pen in 14K Gold. Wait thirty minutes before applying a second coat of gold paint to the design. Let the tray dry overnight.

Use an additional sheet of sandpaper to "antique" the Fleur de Lis design by rubbing random areas in and around it. Wipe away any excess paint flakes with a tack cloth or other style soft cloth. Add as little or as much aging to the wooden tray as you wish.

Spray the entire tray with a thin layer of Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Finishing Spray. Let the project dry overnight before enjoying.