DIY drink tray

Were you one of those people who bought my first ever self-published cookbook in 2009? A lot has changed since then, and a lot hasn’t. Like I no longer list my recipe ingredients right in with the directions. (Hey, some people liked that.) I no longer forget to account for how many servings a recipe makes. (Oh, boy. I hope that I haven’t forgotten to do that lately.)

Do you also remember how I talked (briefly) about living simply in that first book? I was a big fan of small space living, having fewer things. In that regard, we haven’t changed. We did outgrow our adorable teeny-tiny duplex after Ginger was born, but we didn’t exactly move up to 3,000+ square feet. More like 1,200 square feet actually. But I’d like to be around 1,800 square feet some day (maybe soon…?).

Let me back up a sec and explain. When we lived on the east coast we had a HUGE house. And I hated it. If a huge house is your jam, right on sister friend. Some of my best friends have big beautiful houses that I love to visit and admire. It just wasn’t for me. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a small ranch (remarkable similar to the place we’re renting currently in SoCal. wait… whoa…), or maybe it’s just the way I’m designed. Regardless, I quickly regretted the huge house decision, and in 2007, when we moved to Colorado, I was happy as a clam in small spaces, and have been ever since.

Okay, back to the present, where we have been joyfully living in Murrieta, CA for over 2 years now. (Crazy how time flies.) When I first convinced my husband When we first decided to move here it was like “this will be temporary”. Sigh. Have you ever tried to LEAVE Southern California after 1 year? It’s not easily done. At least not if you’re me, and my daughters, and you love warm weather, and sun, and succulents. In fact, there’s only 1 other part of California I would love to live as much as I love Murrieta: Venice. But that’s neither here, nor there.

“It should probably be noted here” (clearly, I’ve been crushing over Jane the Virgin. if you don’t get that reference, watch the show. you should be watching it anyway. it’s awesome.) that my husband is NOT a fan of the warm weather here, or the sun, and I don’t know about the succulents. He’s here for 3 reasons: us, Disneyland, and work. (Most definitely in that order.)

Alas, Murrieta has everything I love wrapped into a nice little package. It’s safe, modest, has amazing mountain views, a great library, tons of Paleo places to eat, and plenty of wide open country to hike, ride and enjoy.

Although we don’t own this house we ADORE it. Like, I kinda wish we owned it. If only it were a pinch bigger. Just a pinch. I think of it as a California cottage: a ranch, with a terra cotta roof, great fireplace, and amazing backyard. Why the fireplace? Because like all deserts, baby it gets COLD here when the sun goes down. And there’s no basements here (hello earthquakes) so the tile through half the house soaks up all the nighttime cold and holds onto it, even after the sun comes up again. (Great for utility bills, cold for people, especially feet.)

All this to say I’m going to be sharing more of our lifestyle with you. Coming up next I have a homemade cleaning remedy to share with you, a fitness post, and more decor ideas.

Candle: Aloha Bay Palm Wax Candles 100% Wool area rug: Handmade Fancy Trellis Wool Grey Rug

Fist I wanted to show you this drink tray that I made for our ottoman. The ottoman itself, which I picked up at the thrift store, had a faux marble top, which I covered in batting and fabric. Not the ideal surface for resting a drink. So I searched for a tray that was the right size, but none matched the look I wanted: white, ever so slightly distressed, with gold accents. Some variation of that would have worked, I just couldn’t find anything even close.

The unfinished wooden tray that I used to make this was around $10 from the craft store. I painted it with black craft paint first, along the edges only. Then I used an Inspired Eggshell Interior Colorspot Paint Sample, in Bisque (white). It has no VOCs, HAPSs, reproductive toxins, or chemical solvents. I couldn’t smell it at all. The finish is just what I wanted (eggshell), and there’s still half left, even after 2 coats. The sample costs $5.

When it was completely dry I sanded the edges to reveal the black underneath. I think this really makes it. I added brass corners as an accent, which are under $6 for all 4, and brass pulls for $7.64 each. All together it’s about $36.28, which isn’t a steal, but it’s still much less than the ones I didn’t like at Hobby Lobby and Home Goods.

♥, Kelly