Tray Reinvented to Table Top Centerpiece

I have this tray I found at the thrift store.  I watched it for several months and then it was marked down to a $1.  I decided that if I purchased it for that and if it didn't work out I wasn't out much.  So, I got it. 

This is how my tray started out.  It was a very abused silver plated tray.  The silver plate had been worn off down to the brass on over half of the top surface.

So I did an experiment with it.  First I sanded it with a sanding sponge.  Then I spray painted it.  It took several coats of white spray paint. 

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I was very pleased with how the handles and the trim turned out.  I aged them by sanding off some of the paint with the sanding sponge.

I wasn't as happy with the surface of the tray it bubbled and wouldn't take paint where it was pitted, but it did look very shabby.

I used the tray as a base for my spring table decor.  I first took a bird cage and lined the bottom with sheet moss and then put a pillar candle in it.

I then placed a urn on the tray with a nest perched on top.

I next placed a little butterfly framed shabby style on the tray.

 

Now for a little surprise instead of eggs in the nest; just to hint at summer, I placed two seashells in it.

There you have spring table decor.  A variation might be to place sheet moss all over the surface of the tray and not just in the birdcage.  You could also place an electric pillar candle in the birdcage instead of a real one.  I will show you how I created the butterfly picture tomorrow.  I will be linking to Marty's Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life, Diane's 2nd Time Around Tuesday at A Picture Is Worth A 1,000 Words, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm, and Trash To Treasure Tuesdays  at Reinvented.  Please join these ladies and check out all the great treasures being reinvented.