Dollar Tree Trays Become Door Decor

Dollar stores can be a great source for crafting. One of my favorite projects that can be adapted for any holiday uses metal serving trays from Dollar Tree. You can use any shape, just make sure you get the metal trays.

Paint the entire tray gray with acrylic paint. Once it is dry, paint the center of the tray with chalkboard paint. I use some black paint to "age" the gray rim. If you want a more contemporary look, you could skip the gray paint and leave it as is. 

Next, glue leaves or flowers to the bottom portion of the tray. This can be done with tacky glue or a glue gun. Using chalk, write your message on the chalkboard center. You can also use a chalk writer if you want a more permanent message. 

Make a bow using wired ribbon and attach it to the top with glue. Attach a magnetic clip to the back of the tray for a hanger. 

If you want to hang the tray on an outside door, you can spray the tray with acrylic spray after you write a message and before you attach the flowers and bow. You can also sand or prime the tray before painting for more durable outdoor use. I've hung the trays on an exterior door without doing this step, and they've been fine. However, I think the acrylic might be a good idea in the event of inclement weather. The total cost is less than $10 per tray. These could be done just as easily for any other holiday or with any other message. 

Happy Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner. This will be my 14th Halloween with children. Along the way I've learned a few tips to make the evening more enjoyable for everyone:

1. If you live in the north, plan a warm costume.
Face it, it's always cold on Halloween. You spend a fortune on a costume and then no one sees it because your child has a jacket covering it up.

Also line up the costume a day or two before so it's not a hassle to get everyone out the door on Halloween.

2. Enjoy a good, warm dinner before the kids go out trick-or-treating.
Have a healthy, warm meal (chili or hot soup is our frequent choice) before going out for the treats. If the kids have a full stomach of healthy food, they'll eat less candy later in the evening.

3. Lighten up with glow sticks or flashlights.
Tie a glowstick on your kids or buy a Halloween flashlight from the local dollar store. This way you can spot your kids from everyone else's and drivers can see them too.

4. Go early.
Start as soon as your local neighborhood allows trick-or-treating to begin. You can catch a little daylight and you'll be finished before it's too late. It is always hard to get sugar-high kids to bed on Halloween, and it can be a problem if there's school the next day.

5. Let the kids pass out treats at your house.
My children enjoy this almost as much as getting treats themselves. Keep a tally of how many treats you give out--it's fun to keep track of the number of trick-or-treaters.

6. Take advantage of Harvest Festivals or mall trick-or-treating.
If the weather is inclement, indoor Harvest Festivals at church's and schools or local mall trick-or-treating is a fun option (even if the weather is good). These offer more than just candy. There are usually games and non-candy prizes. Some even serve dinners. We sometimes do both--trick-or-treat with good friends and neighbors and then take in special event.

7. Get in the spirit.
I sometimes dress up with the kids. You're never too old to have fun and your kids will always remember the time you dressed up as Mickey Mouse or a mummy.

Happy Halloween!