Framed Tray with Vintage Wedding Ephemera

What kind of present does one come up with for a dear college friend for her wedding? My dear friend has always been into very vintage but tasteful decorating.  Something unique would be necessary to pull this one off. 

At the time, I was still scrap booking heavily.(It sounds like an addiction.)  I was just beginning to use ephemera.  These designs are usually vintage and can be used for your own use(not profit).  Graphics Fairy is an excellent site.

Since this was a wedding present, I wanted to use things all about marriage.  I wanted a rather Victorian look to the project.  This sample was not used in this project.

I started with a 11 x 13 inch frame.  I picked up some gold spray paint that would match the frame and painted the handles.  I drilled two holes in each end in order to place the handles.  You can screw them from the back or hot glue gun the handles into the frame.

Now, onto the embellishments.  Since the largest scrapbook paper is only 12 x 12 inches square, and the frame was 13 inches long, I realized that I had a problem.  Using rolled wrapping paper avoids this problem altogether.


I found a paper lace rectangular place mat in my buffet.  I cut it in two lengthwise.  This was placed on each of the ends.  The scrapbook paper was laid on top.  From then on, it was just a layering process.  I used decorative cutting scissors, ribbon to make photo corners and a few decorative punches for accents.

                  Small doilies and scraps of ribbon embellished some of the items on the collage.

                                                    
  After doing about 5 of these trays in different themes, you can never overdo your items.  Just make sure that you leave exposed those particular parts of the Ephemera that you want showing. The tray should have a 'carelessly tossed' effect when finished.

      Before placing the glass over the piece, make sure to clean it thoroughly with glass cleaner.

I normally glue a sheet of flannel over the back so the bottom of the tray does not scratch the dresser top surface.  This picture is not the back of this tray.  I had to take a picture of my tray that I will discuss in another blog. ( Please ignore the corner feet.)

 

 

 

 

What is so fun about this project is that I never know at the beginning what the end result will be.  Always a surprise!

 

 

Placing the original wedding invitation into the collage would work well with this type of tray.