Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Recycled Cake Stands



Today I made a trip to my local Savers and picked up a few parts to try this cool recycled cake stand project that I posted on a few days ago. I had seen a very similar project originally on the DIY network and have been meaning to try it since! Here are the steps I took...

Step 1: Find some old plates, and something to use to add height (a vase, goblet, candlestick, teacup, etc) Here are the pieces I picked up at the thrift store...it cost me about $6 for all of these pieces. (Probably would be $1 if from a garage sale!)



Step 2: Squeeze some epoxy out of the tube onto some scrap cardboard or paper (or junk mail!)...make sure you get even amounts out of both tubes.



Step 3: Mix up the epoxy. Some people use popsicle sticks or tongue depressors for this. I like to use those wood skewers because they are smaller and it helps apply the glue more precisely.



Step 4: Spread epoxy on the bottom of whatever you are using for the stand. In this case I'm using a goblet.



Step 5: Stick the goblet (or candlestick, or vase, etc) on the bottom of the plate. Make sure it is centered. It's better to glue in this orientation than to put the plate on top of the goblet, to avoid glue dripping down your stand.



Step 6: Wait for the epoxy to set and turn it over! The length of setting time depends on the kind of epoxy you use. I usually get the quick setting 5-minute stuff because I little patience for things like drying glue and paint!



Step 7: Bake a cake and serve it in style on your one-of-a-kind cake stand! Don't put the stand in the dishwasher though...hand washing is best.

Here's the other one I made; I think I like this one the best:





Okay, so I photoshopped the cake on. But, in all fairness, it IS a photo of a cake that I made. ;-) These work great not only for cakes, but cupcakes, brownies, cookies, doughnuts, and any other treat you can pile on!

You can also use these as pillar candle stands in between dessert serving duties:

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Here's another way of looking at Junk Mail... Hehe... ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXOMxfs6gBc

Melanie Kissell said...

Gretchen,

What am I waiting for??! I've got lots of odds & ends of plates, glasses, and vases just sitting around in my garage collecting dust.
Cake stands can be pretty expensive. Now I can make my own!

Thanks for another wonderful way to recycle,
~Melanie Kissell
Write On!

Anonymous said...

These are adorable, I would have never thought of it! and they're so great to give as gifts without spending loads of money! I just started a similar blog about recycling, and I will definitly be letting my readers know about your page and your fantastic ideas!

http://cadi-duo.blogspot.com/

Tom Cogburn said...

I've been making other items using the same method... I put together vases and large bowls and make bird baths. Just a hint--I learned the hard way that you really need to rough up the surface of the glass or pottery before applying the epoxy. I had a whole load of bird baths in the back of my car--driving them to Carmel, CA to sell when they started falling a part in the back seat... The epoxy, even though I had mixed it well and applied it weeks prior, hadn't adhered to the glass pieces. I bought a Dremel drill and used diamond dust coated drill bits to rough the surfaces up. It's made all the difference in the world.

Unknown said...

Clever idea! My sister always uses stemware with a plate on top for candle holders. She never glues them though. I too have a blog about saving money and keeping things simple. I'll try to share this. www.grandmabsimpleliving.blogspot.com

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