I’ve seen other crafter’s turn frames into trays and was inspired to try it when I saw some long framed signs in Dollarama. This particular frame would make a perfect centrepiece for a dining room table. You could also use two to four smaller pieces to create a similar effect.
Read on to see how I turned a framed sign into a fall centrepiece.
How to Turn a Dollar Store Sign into a Fall Centerpiece
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Supplies Used and Recommendations:
- a framed sign or tray (mine is from Dollarama and is 23 3/4″ long, 5 1/2″ wide and 3/4″ deep)
- fairy lights
- assorted small pumpkins, leaves and berries
- mini screwdrivers
- brown acrylic paint
- 12 small wood blocks for feet (stack any block or bead that will give you about 1 inch of height)
- raffia
- 2 battery-operated pillar candles (Dollar Tree)
Step 1: Choose Sign or Tray
This is the sign I started with. It’s about 23 inches long, 5 1/4 inches wide and 3/4 inches deep. You can used any framed piece as a frame for this project, as long as it has a depth of 3/4 inches or more.
The sign had two sawtooth hangers on the back, which I removed.
Step 2: Reverse the Sign
Next I removed the sign from the frame and placed it back in so that it was now facing the back of the frame.
That left me with the perfect base for my tray. You can paint this side of the sign before you put it back in the frame, but I deemed it unnecessary, as it wouldn’t be visible in the finished centrepiece anyway.
Step 3: Paint Blocks for Feet
Next, I chose six small wood blocks to use as feet on my tray, initially to keep the metal tabs on the bottom from scratching furniture. However, I went back later and added six more to give the tray more height so I could hide the battery pack under it.
Step 4: Glue Feet on Sign
The covering on this particular frame resisted the use of glue, so I had to lightly sand the spots where I was adding the feet and ended up using tacky glue for the job. I originally added two feet on each corner and two in the middle of the tray because it was so long. I went back later and added one more block to each foot.
I wanted the legs on my tray to be about an inch high for a specific purpose.
Step 5: Add Base of Raffia
I used raffia as a base for my fall arrangement. It’s okay if a bit hangs over the sides but, it it gets too far out of hand, trim it back with a pair of scissors.
Step 6: Place Pillar Candles
Next, I decided on the placement of my two battery-operated pillar candles, clearing the raffia from the spots they would be sitting in.
Step 7: Choose and Arrange Fall Accents
These are the leaves and berries I used. Use whatever accents you have on hand or choose. This is completely customizable to suit your particular decor. I used two of these, cut from a stem, on each end of my tray.
I arranged two large and two small pumpkins between the pillar candles and added individual leaves to both sides of the pillar candles.
I nestled two small pumpkins among the leaves and berries on on either end of the tray and added in a few pinecones here and there.
One of the larger pumpkins was a gold tone, so I gave it a couple of coats of pure pumpkin acrylic paint to match the rest of my decor. Two of the small pumpkins were from a set with clips on them. I pulled off the clips and gave them each a coat of pure pumpkin to tone down the bright orange they were originally coloured.
Step 8: Hide Battery Pack
The battery pack for the string lights I’m using is about 3/4 inches thick. I made my tray’s legs an inch high so I could hide the battery pack out of sight under the tray. Add whatever additional embellishments you want to your tray, as I did here with this bunch of berries from my stash.
Finished Centrepiece
This is how my fall centrepiece turned out. I didn’t glue anything down so I could reuse the tray for any time of the year.
I really like the way my fall centerpiece turned out. It will make a festive addition to my Thanksgiving table this year.
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