Oops, Mother's Day crept up on you again? 🙈 No worries, we've got your back with a super easy, classic vintage DIY gift idea that'll make you the favorite (just kidding, moms don’t have favorites 😉)!

Introducing our DIY Mother's Day trinket trays - the cutest little home for mom’s precious jewelry. And for that extra personal touch? Adding a monogram with our Letterpress Stamp makes it 100% more heartfelt.

Let’s get started using the step-by-step tutorial below to create a gift that's as unique and cherished as she is. 💖

IOD Products Needed: 

• IOD Reverie Stamp
• IOD Letterpress Stamp
• IOD Brayer
• Cut up Thin Mount (for placing the monogram)

Other Supplies: 

• Wooden Trinket Tray
• Soft White Paint*
• Paint - Robin’s Egg Blue*
• Gold Leaf Paint
• Artist brushes
• Sealer
• Foam Brush
• Odorless Paint Mineral Spirits (for cleaning the stamp of the gold paint)

*we used a chalk-type paint in this tutorial, but there are many brands and types of paint, talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

Grab your IOD products and supplies by using the store locator and finding a stockist near you.

Step-by-Step Mother's Day Trinket Tray Tutorial  

Step 1 - Paint Your Tray

Paint your trinket tray using a soft white colored paint (we use a chalk type paint). It took two coats for us to get an opaque finish.

Don’t worry too much about the edge and sides of the tray. We’ll be going over them again later with some highlight colors, so you just need a good base coat. Allow to dry.

Step 2 - Paint the Sides of Your Tray

Grab a robin’s egg blue paint to add a highlight to the sides of your tray. We started with the brayer but found a medium-sized artist brush was the tool for the job. Allow to dry.

Step 3 - Stamp Your Tray

The IOD Reverie Stamp has some perfect small floral elements, scaled perfectly for this side. We decided to build a wreath around the edge, building one after another until you have a pattern all the way around. Lay out your stamps before loading on the paint so your composition is just right.

Put a small dollop of the same robin’s egg blue you used for the highlights onto a paper plate, and spread onto your brayer, ensuring it’s not too thick. Roll onto your stamps.

Press your stamp onto the tray in your pre-planned arrangement. We skipped using a thin mount on this part because the curved nature of the tray is better suited to hand application of the stamps. Allow to dry.

Step 4 - Gold Accents

Next, for some gold accents, we’re going to take a small artist brush to apply our gold leaf paint to the rim of the tray. The reason for the artist brush instead of reusing the brayer is simply because the gold leaf paint needs to be cleaned with mineral spirits and the brushes are a little easier to clean, but that’s up to you. Take your time on this step.

Next for the personalization with a monogram, grab your IOD Letterpress Stamp. Select your letter, apply a thin coat of gold leaf paint with your artist brush, and take a scrap of thin mount so you have a little more control of your stamping (ask us how we know).

Press with intention, but not too firmly, to avoid bleeding out your impression. Some of the stamps didn’t go how you wanted? No problem, just take that same artist brush you used to apply to your stamp, and fill in any details that didn’t come out how you wanted.

Then, for just a little extra sparkle, take the handle side of your paintbrush and dip it in the paint, adding little gold dots throughout your wreath.

Step 5 - Finish with Sealer 

Lastly, seal the entire tray with a water-based sealer. We chose a glossy finish which felt appropriately. If you want a contrast of finishes, you could also seal the painted surface beforehand with a matte sealer and then apply your gold leaf paint.

Let it dry thoroughly, and now you are ready to gift this beautiful tray to the woman you’d like to celebrate in your life! 

If you're just kicking off your creative journey, have no fear — our Product 101 pages are packed with straightforward techniques to set you up for success. We're thrilled to accompany you as you explore and create. For more how-tos and creative inspo, make sure to browse through the rest of our blog.

Once you've crafted your final piece, share it with our Facebook Creative Tribe! This community is not just a showcase but also a supportive hub for when you hit those creative roadblocks. And remember, your local stockist is always ready to assist with IOD supplies and expert advice. We're excited to see what you'll bring to life!