How To Make A Polka Dot Tray

I’ve yet to meet a serving tray I didn’t like.  From small to big, simple and understated to bright and fun, I love the diverse functionality of trays with their ability to be used in a wide range of tasks.  They can be used to serve snacks to the ones you love, or just sit on a table holding treasured possessions — their possibilities are quite endless.  In today’s tutorial, a basic white melamine tray (you can find one at Target for $12.99) is given a fun face lift with office supply stickers in bright neon polka dots and a quick coat of Mod Podge.

All you’ll need is a plain white tray (feel free to use melamine or ceramic, both will work just fine), office supply stickers which you can find at any office supply store,  bottle of Mod Podge in Gloss finish, an application brush, and a ruler.

Begin by placing your first sticker in the upper left corner of your tray and begin plotting out a course from there.  Since this tray was 13″ x 18″ I figured spacing each row and dot 2″ apart would work out perfectly.  I didn’t bother marking the space where each sticker should be placed, although you definitely could if you want to be extremely precise.  I am not always the most precise person, so I just held my ruler straight against the side and placed them at each 2″ space, and it worked out fine for me and my tray.  After I had my first row of pin across though, I did place a vertical row of dots down the left side so I could have a guideline.

Once my stickers were in place, I was ready to Mod Podge.  By adding a layer of Mod Podge I ensured that the stickers wouldn’t peel off or tear over time.

If you’ve never worked with Mod Podge before, you will notice a filmy layer over your tray.  Don’t fret, it will indeed dry clear. Still, make sure you apply a thin layer and apply in even strokes.  This fine, wide brush was the perfect type of brush to use to achieve minimal brush lines.

Let your tray sit for a few hours before using it or placing anything on it, and once dry it’s ready to be used.  I wouldn’t serve food directly on the tray since it will come into contact with the Mod Podge, which isn’t toxic, but is still a type of glue.  To care for your tray clean with a soft cloth and warm soapy water.  I wouldn’t recommend putting it in the dishwasher.

While it certainly makes for a cute snack serving tray, I especially love it on my nightstand to hold my note pad, magazines and odds and ends.  It gives my usually dull bedside table an unexpected pop of color.  You may notice the smaller dots I used on the potted plant.  I originally planned on using these small dots in combination with the large dots on the tray, but I couldn’t find a pattern I was happy with that didn’t look too busy or fussy, so I used them on a set of plain white pots from IKEA instead (here’s the how-to).  The pots turned out great, like the tiny polka dot stickers were meant for them.