This post is the forth in my series of the 12 Days of Christmas DIYs for A Well Crafted Party. Check in each day for the next 12 Days for new DIY posts. There will be LOTS of free printables to boot! (Check out yesterday’s post: “DIY Copper Dinnerware”)

When working on the tablescape for the natural holiday collaboration with fellow Portland Blogger Suzannah of Create/Enjoy I really wanted to bring in more natural elements to the table that I hadn’t seen everywhere before. We discussed creating a natural linen table cloth or place mats. But, I wanted the pretty dark wood of Suzannah’s table to show through with the greenery, so I didn’t like either of those ideas. Then, suddenly, it came to me in one fell swoop while walking the aisles of Orchard Supply Hardware in Tigard, Oregon…. WOOD.

We had already used a big tree round as a stand for candles in the party. And, had I the right saw I might have taken the time to cut thin rounds from the tree to use for these chargers. Never to make things too hard on myself I decided to get a 1/4 inch thick piece of wood from Orchard and cut them into 12X12 squares. I liked the difference in shapes on the table, the wood had a darker side and lighter side so I could choice what looked best for the table, and they could double as platters for decor, food or drinks!

After a quick sanding, lacquer and copper edging these made for simple and beautiful holiday chargers. Plus, they’ll look fabulous on the table all year long!

How to Make Wood Chargers:

Supplies: (affiliate links below)

• Latex Gloves
• 12X12 Wood “squares” cut from your choice of wood that is 1/4 of an inch thick*
• Fast-Drying Polyurethane – I used MiniWax in Clear Satin, but a nice glossy one would look good too! I got a brush on style of polyurethane rather than a wipe on style. If you choose a different poly than I just follow the directions on the can rather than my instructions below!
• Copper Leafing Pen
• Sponge Paint Brush
• Sanding tool of your choice (You can use paper or a small sander. You don’t need much to get this job done. I used a 180 Sanding Sponge.)

*Wood cutting tip: We got a large sheet of wood for less than $10 at Orchard Supply Hardware. The wood can then be cut down into the 12X12 squares. To cut, measure your wood and draw your lines using a straight edge and pencil. This will make cutting the wood MUCH easier. Cut on the side you’d prefer to have up because the other side may splinter a bit. Follow all safety instructions from your cutting tool of choice. You may also be able to find wood pre-cut at crafting stores. The cost will be more however!

Directions: 

1. Take your wood squares and sand them lightly. Pay extra attention to any splinters that may be poking out and the edges of the boards.
2. Wipe down the boards to get all dust off.
3. Edge the boards with your copper leafing pen or a paint color of your choice. I used copper to go with the copper dinnerware I made for the tablescape.
4. Put on your latex gloves and use the sponge paint brush to brush on a layer of the polyurethane to the top of your chargers in a well-ventilated space. The smell is CRAZY. Go ahead and get the sides while you are at it. Follow the directions to the polyurethane to dry your chargers. Mine took about an hour before I could touch them and get the other side. Once dry, brush on a layer of poly to the other side. Repeat these steps until you feel like your chargers are to the sheen/protectability that you’d like. I did 3 coats.

NOTE: These are not food safe. Do not put food directly on these boards. Do not cut food on these boards. These are merely a decorative item for a table. I like the idea of using these as a tray for a buffet table by setting a pretty platter or plate of food right on top!

Do you want to see more from this Holiday Styled Shoot?

Photos from this project was from a recent Holiday Styled Shoot collaboration between myself and Suzannah of Create/Enjoy and Macey from Motormouth Studio. Check out my main post with links to DIY projects & recipes: “Natural Green and White Holiday Party + Free Printables”. A big thank you to Orchard Supply Hardware for supplying the tools and supplies to make this craft. Check them out on Facebook!

This post is the third in my series of the 12 Days of Christmas DIYs for A Well Crafted Party. Check in each day for the next 12 Days for new DIY posts. There will be LOTS of free printables to boot! (Check out yesterday’s post: “Festive Holiday Drink Garnish”)

How to Make Copper Flatware Knock-Offs

I’m obsessed with all the beautiful mixed metal, copper, rose gold and gold dinneware I’ve seen becoming more and more popular. Someday I hope to own some of these beauties from West Elm, but until then, I wanted something to give a similar feel at a fraction of the cost. These mixed metal DIY dinnerware ended up costing around $3 per set buying all supplies needed (I got enough for 8 sets)!

Now, I’ve seen a few different posts on spraypainting silverware. They are all GREAT! I wanted to share my process and what I did differently. One, I used copper instead of gold! I know that this isn’t a huge difference, but I’ve seen this done in gold before and wanted to give it my own small spin. I love gold, but the copper flatware gives the look a little bit of depth. Second, I used a silverware that was already two-tone. The two piece flatware from Ikea had a plastic handle that set it apart and when painted looked purposeful and helped keep it safer for eating.

A big thank you to the Tigrad, Oregon Orchard Supply Hardware store for the the painting supplies!

Copper Flatware DIY Supplies:

(Affiliate Links Below)

• Painters Tape
• Gloves
• Copper Spray Paint (I used Krylon Premium Copper Foil Metallic 1070)
• Clear Sealer ( I used Krylon Crystal Clear)
• Ostron Flatware from Ikea

Copper Flatware DIY Directions:

1. Make sure your flatware is clean and dry. Do this with your gloves on to prevent the oils from your fingers messing up your paint.
2. Cover the eating utensil part of the flatware with painters tape. Make sure this is completely covered— spray paint is not food-safe.
3. Put the dinnerware on a flat surface and spray according to the directions on the spary paint can. This may take a couple of coats, do so with 15 seconds in between coats.
4. Turn the dinnerware using the paint-tape covered part of the flatware. Continue spraying and turning until the flatware is completely covered.
5. Let flatware dry completely. Use your paint directions for drying times. The Krylon Premium paint was dry within 15 minutes, could recoat at anytime, and can be handled after 2 hours. This is not common for many spraypaints.
6. After the flatware has dried completely and is completly covered in the copper color, cover in a clear coat according to the directions on the spraypaint.

I don’t have a dishwasher so I have not tested the flatware in the dishwasher. I hand wash carefully trying not to scratch the paint!

Do you want to see more from this Holiday Styled Shoot?

Photos from this project was from a recent Holiday Styled Shoot collaboration between myself and Suzannah of Create/Enjoy and Macey from Motormouth Studio. Check out my main post with links to DIY projects & recipes: “Natural Green and White Holiday Party + Free Printables”