I’ve always wanted somewhere to display my teeny-tiny treasures – the things that always look lost on a big shelf or mantelpiece. Here’s a really easy craft project to create some little shelves for them. It’s cheap, quick and very effective.
You’ll need:
- a wooden cutlery tray – I bought my bamboo one from HomeSense for about £6.99
- a small tester-size tin of chalk paint – I used Rustoleum Chalky Finish paint in Antique white
- some pretty paper – mine is from Cambridge Imprint
- a small paintbrush
- PVA glue
1: Dust your tray and make sure it’s clean and ready for paint. The beauty of chalk paint is that you don’t need to worry about preparing your wood with sanding or priming.
2. Apply your first coat of chalk paint. Allow to dry overnight if possible before applying your next coat. I applied three coats which gave a good, even finish – however you may need more or less depending on your paint choice.
3. Once you’re happy with your paint coverage, decide how you’d like to decorate your shelves. You may prefer to leave them plain or, like me, add a little decorative paper behind some of your shelves. Measure the areas you’d like to cover with paper with a tape measure.
4. Carefully cut out pieces of paper to fill your chosen areas. This is a little fiddly, but not impossible. I am pretty slapdash and managed this with just a ruler, some scissors and a pencil – no fancy cutting tools required! You may need to make a few adjustments to make them the right size.
5. Apply a thin, even, layer of glue to the area you want to apply your paper. Carefully ease your paper into place and smooth down gently, but firmly.
6. Allow to dry and then find a new home for your little shelves!
They’d look great attached to the wall, but I love mine sitting on our playroom mantelpiece. This little set of shelves would also look great in a children’s bedroom filled with Lego mini figures.
What would you fill your shelves with? Mine contains a combination of seaside finds, little ornaments from holidays and my childhood – plus a few things the boys chose.
Lizzie, you are a creative and practical genius, with a real flair for design. You could be selling charming little displays like this on Etsy, or in shops. You never cease to amaze me. XxxxxxxxxX
Thanks Ruth! I can make you one if you like
Oh that’s so lovely! What a good idea. x
Thanks Katie! How are you? I’m missing your blog posts! x
This is so cute! I really want to make this. I doubt I’ll get time until after Christmas, but I definitely intend to give this a try at some point. Thanks for sharing the idea x
Lizze, that is such a transformation. How pretty it is! I really, really like it.You have such brilliant ideas.
#homeetc
Thanks Fionnuala! x
This looks adorable! I collect doll house miniatures so this would be a really cool way of displaying some of my favourite pieces outside of the doll house 🙂 #HomeEtc
This would be perfect for doll’s house things – imagine how cute the little cakes would look!
This is so cute, and a great little project! #HomeEtc
Thanks Carolyn!
That looks great – and love your little Nessie 🙂 Such a good idea too, not sure what I’d put in mine, in days gone by it’d probably be those Whimsies !! #homeetc
Thanks Stephanie… I love my little Nessie too – I’ve had her since I was a little girl!
This is a fantastic idea! I’d love to try it for my girls room, it’d be the ideal place o display their smaller treasures #HomeEtc
Thanks Louisa! Some of things I’ve displayed are things I’ve had since I was little girl, so it’d be perfect 🙂
I am completely in love with this. It looks so great and I love your trinkets inside. Totally copying. #HomeEtc
Thanks Kim! It really is a doddle to make and looks so cute 🙂
This is just so cute and clever. A great idea for lego figures, I love it x
Such a clever and simple idea, I would never think of something like this. I love your crafty posts because they’re so beautiful but so achievable too, even for a non-crafter like me. I think it will be a new year’s resolution for 2016 🙂 We’re not trinketers I have to say, so if I had a little shelf like this I’d have a grand excuse to pick up some pretty little things to go with it Xx #HomeEtc
Thanks Lins! Sadly I am a trinket magnet – they follow me around. x
This is such a great idea. Bizarrely, I’ve been looking at a similar Ferm Living kind of display cabinet and it’s £80. £80!!! And my boys only want to store their Kinder Egg treasures. I much prefer your version x
Goodness that’s a lot! I’ve seen lots of little shelves in places like H&M and Dunlem (both shaped like little houses) for about £15…
This is SO fabulous!!!! In fact — you could glue-gun a stack of them together and make a HUGE version — that would be incredible!!!! Might have to have a go at one myself!! 🙂 xx Thanks so much for linking up with us — and giving me some inspiration!! #HomeEtc
LOVE this 🙂 I want to do this too – love a pot of paint and an up cycle! Great job. Looks fab. Thanks for linking up – much appreciated 🙂 Jess xx
#HomeEtc
You should try it Jess! It really is so simple and cheering! x