Keswick Trays

Here's a houseware that seems to pop up frequently at thrift stores: the Keswick Tray! They are printed cotton and fibre glass trays rimmed with gold or silver edges. The company started in the 1960s and is still producing products today. I'm not sure of the date of these two trays though! 

I love the cheery florals and the texture of the fabric through the fibre glass.

 It looks like they even take custom orders. Of course they are British made...see post below!

Delft Tile Tray

I found this mid-century cheese tray at a local thrift store for $1! Frankly, the tiles alone are worth more than that. It was originally medium brown wood, and those little right-hand circles were red magnets, but I covered the whole piece in some coats of Old White Chalk Paint. I might use it as a tray for craft projects, or I might hang it on a wall and secure some fancy knobs into those left-hand circles as hooks.

Either way, I'm in love with the painterly blue and white tiles!

Tray Mod

I found this fantastic Mid-century Mod molded plywood tray tucked beneath some Tupperware at a thrift store.

The first thing I thought of when I saw the pattern was my fellow designer friend Ottomanbrim on Spoonflower, whose designs have the same fabulous flair.

 The tray was made in Konga, Sweden, and the pattern may have been designed by Astrid Sampe, whose designs are still in production by Almedahls.

Retro BBQ Tray by Marcelline Stoyke

 This fabulous BBQ tray was a mere $4.99 from Value Village. The whimsical illustrations are by Marcelline Gougler Stoyke, a designer who lived in Evanston, Illinois in the mid '50s. This is one of a series of her designs created for trays. Marcelline worked for Social Supper, Pickard China, Sears, Heisey, Stotter, Federal Glass, and Melmac. Doesn't the jolly chef just make you grin from ear to ear? Her model was her husband. And that "Come 'n get it!" is hilarious! Marcelline's style of illustration is perfection: graphic, detailed, whimsical, joyous, and a total inspiration for me!

Clay

These are the first things I have ever made out of clay--a pedestal, doily tray, beads, and (quelle surprise) roses. Now I am totally in love with the medium!

There were a few cracks in the edges of the tray after it was fired so I filled them with plaster and then painted the whole thing white.

The "Robin's Egg Green" glaze took me a while to find, since I didn't expect it to be pink!

On the roses I used clear glaze, although I was similarly surprised when I opened the container.

The glaze on the pedestal makes it look like a chocolate chip cake--an unintentionally cute result!

The tray is going to display some of my jewellery so I gave it a gold rim.

I made these into robin's egg beads to use for a necklace or bracelet.

I will use the white roses to decorate my shelves, and the pink ones will be used as pendants.