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Recycled Baking Pans

Frugal Crafts and Homemade Gifts (featured column)
Submitted by Cindy Bailey


Painted trays

Who needs expensive organizers? Old baking pans or cookie sheets can be decoratively painted to match your decor and used for all kinds of things. Here a cake pan was transformed into a hot beverage service tray for home or office. Cookie sheets (not shown) make a nice crafting surface for adults or kids. Possibilities are endless!

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MATERIALS FOR PROJECT SHOWN:

1 cake pan, 13 x 9 inches
Spray paint primer
Acrylic paints: White, Bright Pink, Warm Yellow
Art transfer paper, optional
Mechanical pencil or white marking pen
Fine point black paint pen or permanent marker, optional
Non-toxic varnish, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray paint the pan with primer. Allow to dry.

2. Top coat with Bright Pink, using spray paint (recommended) or acrylics & brush.

3. Choose a teapot design. (I used one from a paper dinner napkin. Or type "teapot drawing" into Google Images for simple line drawing ideas).

4. Freehand the design onto pan with mechanical pencil or white marking pencil. (Or print out design, enlarge if needed. Place transfer paper facedown in pan. Place design on top and trace).

5. Base coat design with White acrylic paint.

6. Fill design in with Warm Yellow. Add Warm Yellow to edge of pan if desired.

7. To outline the design: Load one side of a flat brush with a little bit of  Bright Pink. Load the other side with a lot of Warm Yellow. With pink to the outside edge of design, go around the whole thing, reloading as needed, outlining each item, including the lid on the teapot, etc. This works best with fresh paint that is not too thick.

8. Add dots to design and pan edge by dipping the end of the paintbrush into Bright Green.

9. Optional: When design is dry, outline it with black paint pen or marker.

10. Optional: To protect your design, seal with a non-toxic varnish.

Do not place in dishwasher!

Other ideas for the cake pan:

Jewelry or Change Tray: Paint in desired color, glue on beads or rhinestones. Paint a pearl necklace and pair of reading glasses.

Travel Tray for Kids: Paint a road design and add little metal cars. Or Paint a jungle or farm and add animals.

Plant Tray: To keep your potted plants from dripping on things. Paint pan Yellow, add ivy design to outside of pan.

Picnic Tray: Paint red. Add thin white with sponge to make "spongeware." Write "Goin' on a Picnic..." with black paint pen. Make a whole set, so everyone has a place for the cup AND plate while they're eating!

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Copyright © 2009 by Cindy Bailey. All rights reserved.