Today I’m here to share how I made them look so lovely and bright, and where I put them to make a pretty holiday decor with an old tray.
What I used:
And for the rest of the project:
- Old plastic bells
- an old silver tray
- chalkboard paint
- twine
- traditional clothespin
- A green ribbon
These old bells were part of an old Christmas decoration that I found at the house. It seems we accumulate things over the years and after a while they start to look outdated. But that does not mean we should automatically throw them away. I was able to pick and choose what to keep and then upcycle them, just like these bells. As you can see below this is how they started out. The bells were made from cheap plastic in a goldish tinge. Yuk!
The How -To:
It gives a nice look to the bottom rim of the bells and also makes the design stand out much more.
I grabbed my trusty chalkboard paint and painted it black. A few coats and it was covered. Now I could have gone the full route, and I just might in the future, but for now I left it just plain black.
I love the distressed beauty of it. And I can always add chalk to it and cure it to turn it into a chalkboard.
This has to be my perfect project, it’s got upcycled bells, a repurposed tray and is in the holiday spirit. What else could I ask for?
I hope you will pop on over to Brenda’s blog Unique Junktique and check it out. She is so talented and really knows how to transform furniture.
Linking up to these Link Parties
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Ahhhhh the bells that stopped the door from closing 😀 Well they sure look pretty against the black distressed chalk board tray Mary. Now they’ve been allowed to take center stage and the white, black and emerald green works so beautifully together.
I love that deep green color too, it really ties it all together.
Another fantastic recycle|repurpose idea for the holidays!
You are so clever Mary. Great use of these “leftover” items. I wish more people would upcycle rather than buying new year after year.
I do too Deborah not only do we save money but we also get to exercise those brain cells, and create something unique.
This is just gorgeous Mary, I love how vintage it is. Nicely done project. Pinned.
Thanks so much Leanna. It’s a good thing I save all this old stuff.
That is cute as can be! I was over at the thrift store today with a friend and found a whole series of wicker bells…one inside of the other and graduated in size. Cute but outdated as you say. Wish they had raised designs on them like yours does though. Love how you repurposed the tray, and it makes for an attractive display. Merry Christmas Mary!
I think you can easily update them with a little bit of paint. You can paint them and then add glaze on top or just paint them with a light hand so the wicker shows through.
Ooooh, Mary!
I really like this idea!!! Now that I have several trays here… This is a really great idea to repurpose one! I’m liking the chalkboard idea, too… Might steal that for right into the New Year. Sharing to FB and Pinterest, of course, and G+.
Thank you for two wonderful craft/repurpose ideas,
Merry Christmas,
xoxo Barb 🙂
Another frugal and lovely idea to decorate for the Holidays! Those bells are amazing and look great with the tray, you are so clever!!!
Mary, this is such a clever idea! It looks so pretty, and is perfect for the holidays. I love how you used the chalkboard paint! Pinning. Thank you for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Have a wonderful week ahead!
These bells are so great! I love adding bells around the home during Christmas time. Thanks for sharing.
Love this look Mary! You gave those bells & old tray new life!
The tray looks great now Mary, love the ribbon you chose too. Now for those bells… I have a few in my basement and I wasn’t sure what to use them for but painting them is a great idea! Thanks for the inspiration!
Adorable repurpose project Mary, I do love a good junk makeover! Great application of DaddyVans too it adds such depth to paint. Thanks for sharing your holiday project at #fridaysfurniturefix as always love having you!
Mary, You are one of the most creative people I’ve ever seen! The way you can take any ol thing and transform it to something beautiful amazes me! I love your Bells! They are really beautiful!
Jeannee
Mary, the bells turned out so cute and I love them hanging on the vintage tray! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Mary, another beautiful upcycle for Christmas! I think the bells attached to the tray with the ribbon is elegant and charming, just perfect.
I love what you did with the bells. And the tray is so pretty now that you added your magic to it. I think it all turned out for the best when the bells were to big for the screen door to close.
It did Debra. If the bells hadn’t been too big I never would have thought of using the tray.
Great transformation Mary! Love the contrast of black and white. Where did you end up using the tray?
Doreen I can’t believe I fooled you. The tray is right behind the bells. I painted it with black chalkboard paint to act as a backdrop for the white bells. Can you see the handle on the bottom? 😉
What a great idea, Mary! It looks perfect!
Thank you so much Jeanie. I was so glad I found a use for both of those items.
This is so pretty and so very clever. Pinning!
Thanks so much Patti, I just had to find a spot for those bells.
I was waiting for this post with the pretty bells! Amazing idea to use a tray! Great work!
Thanks Katerina. I had to put that old thing somewhere and when I had the bells left over it just clicked.
I love this upcycle project. I’ll keep this in mind for next year as I have some old plastic bells that have seen better days and our local thrift store always has lots of old trays.
I am so happy to hear that. I was lucky to have found them at home from my old stash of Christmas decor.
Love the bells Mary! Just adding the coat of chalkpaint made a big difference, but then with the shine they are gorgeous. Using the tray to hang them on was brilliant! They make the perfect holiday decor! I’m glad that you didn’t squish them. 😉
I really love those products Linda. That shiny lustre really makes all the difference.
Beautiful Mary! You’re always so creative! I love this!
Kim I was just itching to find a new spot for those bells. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I had just let them be.
Mary, that is lovely. I love the handles on the tray and you did a wonderful ‘save’. I was thinking that after the holidays, you could use the tray and chalkboard for all kinds of things, writing a menu, or just an inspirational message. You have such a creative imagination. I always get a smile when I see a email from you.
You are absolutely right Josephine. I can reuse the tray and definitely will do so. I have a fondness for not throwing things out but using them over and over in different ways. Thank you for your sweet comment.
Very pretty Mary. Merry Christmas dear lady. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Thank you so much Cindy. And a Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family!
I love the bells. They remind me of my childhood. My father always placed red ones on the front door.