The Awesome Always: CONTAINER STORE HACK: MAKE YOUR OWN LUCITE TRAY

I adore lucite trays! And I've been longingly browser shopping my way through the best of them, but I just haven't been able to convince myself to spend more than $200 on one. So when I was wandering through the Container Store one day and saw a clear tray for TWELVE DOLLARS I thought - why don't I make my own tray?

So I did.

Ta da! It's my cheetah print lucite tray. For a grand total of less than $20!

Here's how to do it yourself:

1. Find an inexpensive clear tray. I found mine at the container store in the bathroom storage section (they have several versions and sizes), but a quick Google search will yield numerous options. I particularly like this version with handles from CB2 for $40.

Next, pick a beautiful paper you'd like to see every day (wallpaper and wrapping paper, especially quality papers, will do nicely).

I chose a cheetah print wrapping paper from World Cost Plus Market for $4.95.

You'll also need:

1. Mod Podge glue (glossy version)

2. some sponge brushes

3. a very sharp exacto knife

Brush the bottom of your tray (underside) with a thin layer of Mod Podge. Don't overdo it, or you'll soak the paper and cause wrinkling. (Note: papering the tray's underside will ensure a lovely shine, and a waterproof interior to the tray for floral arrangements and so forth. This is not a good solution if you're planning to use the tray for, say, coffee service; sitting it down on a damp kitchen counter could ruin your hard work).

Next, press the paper onto the bottom of the tray. You'll need to keep an eye on it for the next 10 minutes, as the paper may bubble a little and require smoothing. I chose to cut the paper to the approximate size and trim it after the glue dried. If you're better at measuring than I am, you can go ahead and cut it to size before gluing.