Last summer I purchased a basic wood tray from a garage sale. Someone had already painted the outside a perfectly beautiful turquoise, but the inside remained plain wood. I had long been collecting old yardstick rulers specifically for a project like this.
First I painted the inside black-- I used Rust-oleum because it's what we had--, then sanded both that and the turquoise down a bit, to give it a more shabby feel. Next I lined up all my rulers the way I wanted them, making sure the seams weren't all perfectly aligned, and that some were upside down. I wanted a mismatched feel rather than neatly arranged rulers.
After sawing all the pieces down to the size I needed, I laid them out once more, making sure I liked the overall appearance. Finally, I glued them in place with wood glue. I held on to the scrap pieces of ruler, which I later used for a holiday project. Vintage yardsticks are so versatile when it comes to decorating. The different wood tones, the scratches, the fading print-- all of these qualities add to their rustic charm.
I love the unexpected touch of vintage this tray brings to my home. I've used it on the dining table with flowers, as a tray to carry drinks outside, in the living room with flowers on it, and even on our kitchen island with a plate of fruit. The options are endless.
A little bit of french country chic, and so simple to put together.
Looks beautiful:) xoxo
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