Idea-ology Christmas Mini Tiered Tray

I have seen people decorating tiered trays for quite awhile now and I love the idea. I don't have one, but so many of Tim Holtz Idea-ology products would be perfect to fit in a tiered tray.  Decorative domes, Vignette Frames with some of the festive Christmas Layers in them, Woodland Trees, Vignette Boxes with the Christmas Vignette Box Tops on them.....once I got to planning a tiered tray, I couldn't stop with the ideas. 

One problem. I was designing samples for a Facebook Live reveal, and buying, decorating, and shipping a tiered tray that wouldn't show well on a live was out of the question, So I worked on other things, but just could not get the tiered tray idea out of my mind.  Then I thought, what about a mini tiered tray? It just sounded like so much fun to make and display a bunch of delightful little goodies, and you know I love miniatures, so I set to work making it happen.

The first step was to actually build the mini tray. I used two Vignette Panels, some Etcetera Trims, and a package of Vignette Finials. All of these things are linked below, so don't worry.

I've done this particular alteration before, and as I said then, if you or someone in your home has a little saw, this would be much safer and easier, but I tend to be creating when my husband is unavailable and I am too impatient to wait. Cut the large finial top off and sand it down to make it as flat as possible on top.

This step is here to tell you not to do this. I thought using my dremmel and Vignette Hardware to attach these pieces would be a fantastic idea, but it wasn't. It was an absolute mess! Just use Distress Collage Medium and attach things in sections, then let it dry several hours or over night. Work on the fun little filler bits while it's drying.

Here is how you want to build your mini tray. Vignette Base on the bottom, large Vignette Panel, large Vignette Final base attached to large Vignette Finial top (that you cut the top off), then a smaller Vignette Panel, and both small Vignette Finials.

It is important before you start, to find the center of the panels. Then you can attach the base and finials in the correct spot to keep the panels level.Once it is put together and dry, then attach the Etcetera Trims. I used my Tonic Scissors to cut them to the correct length.

As you can see, my finials are off a little bit, but don't worry, you will have so much stuff packed into this little cutie that no one will ever notice! I painted the entire piece with Picket Fence Distress Paint. I didn't worry about it being perfect because I wanted it to look old and shabby.

 

Then I covered the trims and parrs of the Finials in Distress Crackle Paste. I intentionally sanded off loose bits and the edges. Then I rubbed some Hickory Smoke Distress Crayon into the cracks and on the edges. Lastly, I rubbed some Picket Fence Distress Paint onto an Idea-ology Word Band and some Hardware Heads and attached them to the front with Distress Collage Medium.

Throughout the various drying processes it took to make the tray, I got to work making all the goodies to go inside it. I ordered these little mini mugs (I think they are shot glasses, but we have a glass one that my sister used for some of her medication and then later she gave it to her bird, so we inherited it with Peep. I couldn't bring myself to use that one so I ordered some online.) These are cheap plastic, so I painted them with Candied Apple Distress Paint and sprayed them twice with Distress Resist Spray to make them shine. Then I used the Christmas Remnant Rubs Tiny Text to decorate the top rim with the dots and sayings. I ended up only using one, so I attached a little tag from the Christmas Snippets pack to make it a little more festive.

There are some Christmas Baseboard Frames and the punch outs are included in the package. This cute shape is a punch out for one of the frames and a Christmas Bottle Cap perfectly fits on it with a bow tied out of the luscious Velvet Trims.

Don't forget to include some things from the everyday line in your Christmas makes! I used the 2 and 5 from the Number Blocks. I painted the letters in Candied Apple and then trimmed down some of the plaid Fabric Tape to cover the sides and make bows on top so they resembled little packages.

These are two of the Corked Vials. I didn't do anything really special to them other than add a sticker on each from the Christmas Sticker Book. I filled one with some Lollipop Sticks I had left over from the Idea-ology Candy Shop I made. I just cut them into little bits to mimic marshmallows, and I colored some Distress Glitter with brown Alcohol Ink to make it look like cocoa mix.

These were the kinds of things I was thinking would look super cute in a full size tiered tray, but using the larger Vignette Frames and the larger Christmas Layers. For these I used the two smallest Vignette Frames and one of the Christmas Layers in the Black Soot frame, and one of the Christmas Ephemera in the small Candied Apple frame. I decorated both with Adornments from the Snowflake and Festive packs.

I had this snowman painted from last year and he fit in perfectly. I painted him with Distress Paints and then rubbed some Mushroom Alcohol Ink over him. As I rubbed off the excess alcohol ink, some of the paint rubbed off, aging him to perfection.

I decorated a Woodland Tree with some Adornment Snowflakes and Festive Pinecones, as well as Mica Flakes.

I put the tree in a Grave Relic painted Candied Apple Red.

This was attached in the back of the top tier with a couple of Christmas Flair in front of it.

In the back top corner I added the smallest red Vignette Frame. To make sure it looked finished, I covered the outside edge of the frame with some Christmas Trim Tape.

To make sure it looked finished, I covered the outside edge of the frame with some Christmas Trim Tape, and I adhered some Christmas Paper on the back. To help the frame stay upright and to fill the gap, I put a tiny Woodland Tree in the corner behind it.

In the very front of the top tier I added the numbers.

I put the black Vignette frame in the bottom back corner. You can see I cut some of the Fabric Tape to edge the frame and give it a finished look. I added a little tree and the snowman in front of the frame.

Then I popped the cocoa and marshmallow vials in the front corner with a set of Silverware tied with the Velvet Trim.

It was a great place for another tiny Woodland Tree and one of the little mugs.

You can see I changed my mind on the mug with the candy in it. I pulled the candy out and suffed a styrofoam ball in it. Then I covere it with brown felt and glued some of the lollipo stick marshmallows on top. The candy couldn't go to waste, so I put it in a Thimble  with some Grit Paste and Mica Flakes and let them dry. 

To make the candy I adhered the plaid Trim Tape to some large floral wire with Distress Collage Medium. Once it was dry and securely adhered to the wire, I twisted it in on itself to make the lollopop shape. Then I used a tiny Dremmel drill and made a hole in the bottom to fit a tooth pick in. Before I tied a bow, I sprayed them with Distress Resist Spray to make them shiny.

You can see I left some spaces here and there so things could be seen. You can see I put the little Baseboard Frame pop out in the back corner.

I wanted to show the back of this project so you could see that I added another Woodland tree back behind the pop out, and I decorated the backs of all the frames and the pop out. I just thought it was important to do that incase this was displayed somewhere that any of the back was visible.

I know there is a LOT to this project, but seriously, once you start making cute little things to go in it, you can't stop!

I'm hoping to find a "regulation size" tiered tray soon to decorate too, but until then this little cutie does the trick!

Tami

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