Buffalo Check Fall Tray

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I’ve got the cutest Buffalo Check Fall Tray to share with you! It’s thrift store makeover time and this is a really fun project. It’s easy but just takes some time as you need to let the paint dry between layers.

Buffalo Check Supply List

(affiliate links provided for your convenience)

• thrift store tray (this could be done on any flat surface)
• white chalk paint
• pumpkin acrylic paint
• gray chalk paint
• foam brushes
• FrogTape

Here’s the thrift store tray I started with.

I love the fall leaf details around the edges, so pretty!

How to Paint a Buffalo Check Tray

First step is painting your base coat. I wanted white and used a chalk paint. Chalk paint is awesome because there’s so little prep you need to do. I wiped down the tray with a wet paper towel and was ready to go.

It took 2 coats to get a covered finish. Once it was completely dry, I used painter’s tape to block off the edges.

Next, you measure and find the center spot. I marked it with a pencil on each side. Then you place a piece of painter’s tape right down that centerline. This tape is for spacing. Place a piece of tape on either side of that centerpiece of tape. Then you can remove that centerpiece of tape. Use that piece of tape you just removed as a “spacer” tape to finish the rest of the tape.

TIP: I learned that butting up the tape at a 45-degree angle made it much easier to get the tape in a straight line next to the spacer tape.

Go over all the tape edges and press firmly before painting. Then I used my pumpkin paint to paint between the tape. Let it dry a couple of hours.

Once dry, remove the tape and repeat the process from the other direction. Start with finding the center point for the “spacer” tape and repeat.

Paint with the pumpkin paint again. Let dry, but this time do not remove the tape. See those darker squares? We want to paint those areas with the third color. So once the paint is completely dry add painter’s tape back over the lighter areas.

For this third color, I mixed 2 parts gray paint with 1 part pumpkin paint. Paint over those open squares.

I just love how this Buffalo Check Fall Tray turned out!

I used a sanding block to remove the paint off the leaf detail around the edges, which I just adore now!

Other thrift store trays:

• TV Tray Makeover
• DIY Coastal Tray
• Thrift Store Jewelry Tray Makeover

Make sure to check out the other awesome thrift store makeovers from the team.

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