Picnic Tray Table Glow Up
Looking for the perfect gift this Mother’s Day (or any other day)? This is it!
I’ve always been a fan of making gifts for family and friends as there is just something extra special about giving them something you’ve made with your hands and poured your love into. This year for Mother’s Day, Bunnings asked me to choose a piece from the KitOut range and give it a little DIY love to give to my mother! I was immediately drawn to the Timber Picnic Tray Table and my mind started flooding with ideas of how I could give it a little glow up, and make it a bespoke gift for my mother. Naturally the first thing I did was head to Bunnings to stock up on materials and I even got the chance to choose some beautiful potted flowers from the nursery, before coming home and settling into a cosy afternoon of making. Read on to find out how you can give this Picnic Tray a beautiful glow up this Mother’s Day. And happy Mother’s Day to all the special women in our lives, we adore you and appreciate you so much.
Materials
All materials linked below are from Bunnings:
Measuring tape and pen
Potted flowers - I chose golden yellow Bidens. Potted lavender or garden herbs such as rosemary would also be lovely.
For this project you will need a drill with a large universal drill bit, sander, clamps, jigsaw or a junior hacksaw. The jigsaw will be quicker than the hacksaw.
How To
Start by taking the KitOut Picnic Tray Table kit out of the box. Using the measuring tape and pen to mark out the middle on the tabletop. Measure the diameter of the pot lip and roughly draw out a circle onto the table. The idea is to let the pot “sink” and disappear into the table. Use the drill to push holes through the timber, then use the utility saw to tidy the edges up. Keep going until the pot “rests” on top of the tabletop. Set the terracotta pot aside and sand the tabletop smooth on both sides. Don’t worry too much if the inside timber is a little rough as you won’t see it when the pot is resting in the hole. Lay out the rest of the materials in the kit and collate them into into their categories before starting on the next step.
Assemble the KitOut Timber Picnic Tray Table, which should take around 10 to 15 minutes. Triple check that the terracotta pot “sinks” into the tabletop like you can see below. Then set aside.
Tip: I painted the table after it was assembled but I think it would have been easier to paint it before assembling. The choice is up to you!
Clamp the dowel to your work surface and mark at 2cm using the measuring tape and pen. Use the jigsaw to cut the “coins” or use the junior hacksaw instead. Smooth the edges with the sander. You may want more or less coins than I cut, which is up to you. The next step is the glue them into position. They may slide a little as the glue cures so just slide them back up until they hold.
When the glue has dried, paint the entire surface of the tray table and set aside to dry. You will need to apply at least 3 coats of paint. Take the plant out of the plastic pot and place it into the terracotta pot.
Ta daaaa! A beautiful gift for your Mother or mother figure that’s made with lots of love.
When you’re ready to surprise your mother or the special mother figure in your life, choose a beautiful spot to have your picnic, lay down a linen tablecloth, pop the tray down and place the terracotta pot inside the hole and top with a wonderful platter filled with her favourite cheese, crackers, fruit and chocolate.
This post is in collaboration with Bunnings. I hope you enjoyed this project as much as I did!
