This farmhouse stencil tray was made by mixing up different stencils
Obviously, I have been on a stencil kick lately. They are just so easy and fun to make a quick change to garage sale décor! Sometimes I see a stencil and think, I don’t want to buy that because I don’t want to same words or pictures on 50 different home décor items in my house. Do you think like that too? If you are making gifts or have lots of spaces to decorate you can easily use the same stencil over and over painting in different colors and mediums.
I decided to change things up a bit. It’s important to remember that just because a stencil has certain words or symbols doesn’t mean you have to use all the options every time.For example, I wanted this tray to say Farm Fresh Eggs, not the Farm Fresh Milk Delivered Daily like it was created to say. So I simply used part of the stencil and then used another trick for the eggs part! (BTW this stencil came from Vintage Sign Stencils.)
This tray’s surface was really slick so the stencil bleed a bit, but I corrected it with a fine brush and some black and white paint. I got ready to paint the bottom portion of the tray using Frog Tape (like you see above, please know I did not use mod podge in this project! don’t wan to confuse you!) as my guide to get clean crisp lines. I learned a new trick about frog tape this summer. Hold on, your mind is about to be blown. Once you tape off whatever you’re going to paint, run a slightly damp rag down the edge of the tape. The tape has the ability to seal when it comes into contact with moisture (like paint, but if you use water first there is literally no bleed!). This provides crisp clean lines and is also why the tape is kept in a plastic container, so the tape doesn’t get wet and ruined before you use it. Who knew? Maybe I’m the last one?
Next I got some scrap book stickers out, the biggest ones I had. I spelled out eggs and painted over the stickers and frog tape guidelines. It took two coats, you want to be sure and remove tape and stickers as soon as you can, the longer they stick the more they stick and the bigger chance you have of removing paint when you peel off the tape. Touch up any spots you may have messed up in tape removal and wax your tray for a completely finished look!
Lately, as the pending arrival of our first chicken egg looms (seriously girls, can you hurry up, we are tired of waiting!) eggs have been on my mind. These cute little ones are quail eggs we received from a friend. I’ve really been thinking about the “eggs” we carry around in life. Everywhere you turn we are told to diversify. Diversify your investments, your friendships and interests. It’s bad to have all your eggs in one basket. The mere thought of our investment portfolio crashing like when Enron fell or of it falling pray to a Ponzi scheme has people scurrying to spread their assets in the hope of financial safety and security. This might be a great approach for our IRA, but I wonder how often this game plan unwittingly slips into our spiritual life, our whole life really.
Do you call yourself a Christian? A follower of Jesus? Behind closed doors do you really place all your eggs in God’s basket? This question has been haunting me lately and I have realized I like to keep my eggs diversified quit often. I trust God to work out my friend’s future, but I hold tight to the plans I’m making for mine. I trust God that my kid’s school situations will turn out fine, but I still try to control all I can. I trust God with my salvation but the future of my bank account is better left on my plate. My eggs are rolling all over the place, these fragile situations constantly at risk of getting crushed.
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. Luke 11:23 
When we hang on to situations with white knuckles we’re putting our eggs in the basket of self. That’s the most unsafe basket around! Maybe you look to your spouse or friends as your source of joy. That basket is sure to get dropped, broken and provide disappointment. Resting in the safety of how many zeros our bank account holds, building wealth and treasures on Earth. All of that will fade or fail. When you stop to examine your scattered harvest it’s funny the things we try to spread out and hold on to. It’s not to say making responsible choices should fly out the window, the question is “am I FULLY placing my life and all that entails in God and God alone?”
What parts and portions of my life am I controlling, holding back or finding false security in? The question is so freeing. What can I let go of? What can I stop allowing to control me? What can I stop allowing to inject my days with fear and anxiety? What am I worrying about? What situation, relationship or outcome am I trying to manipulate? Those are the eggs we need to gather up in our apron and gently lay back in ONE basket alone. It may be a daily gathering, it may take picking up the same egg over and over again until you finally have it nestled in the basket.
We have a daily choice to build on rock or sand, build treasure on Earth or in Heaven, trust in man or trust in God, follow the crowd or follow the Messiah. Don’t put your eggs in one basket, that’s what the world tells us. Want to join me in doing the exact opposite? I know it’s the safest bet we’ve got.
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6
You can see more stencil projects here or here!
How beautiful. The words and the tray.
go glad you enjoyed both
Thank you so much for this post! I was allowing fear and worry over how one of our children has chosen to live, control (consume) me. I am reminded again, to give it all to Jesus. I can’t carry it, I am becoming so over burdened, and I don’t have to carry it. God is big enough, He is the powerful One! He is the only one who can change my child’s heart, not me.
when it comes to our kids it’s so hard to remember that God loves them and wants them more than we do. I pray you find peace and trust in him, sometimes when we come to know that’s all we can do peace settles in.
Beautiful post! We all need reminders to check which basket we have our eggs in. Sometimes life is so crazy you don’t even notice you are not choosing God to take care of an egg or two ???? Thank you!
I agree, sometimes we slowly collect those eggs back to our little basket. It’s good to take inventory every once and a while.
Good morning Kim, first prayers for all of you experiencing adverse weather. Your comparison of eggs in one basket and God’s love for us, beautifully put. Thank you so much for being here and sharing with us!! Blessings and smiles ????
as always, thank you so much! prayers appreciated
Thank you for your “peaceful” post, even though you are experiencing a storm right now. Prayers for Texas.
we have been so fortunate in this storm so far, I am feeling nothing but blessed compared to what people are going through, it is so horrible.
Thank you for your inspiration and words , it has been a while since I have given many issues to God. You have reminded me to do so., I pray for you and your family and neighbors that you stay safe from the hurricane in Texas.
Thank you Nancy and I hope you are able to lay some burden down and walk lighter.
We are having rain now and gentle rain from Harvey. I am praying for everyone affected by this crazy storm. I love the tray. Thanks for sharing.
thank you and this storm has been so crazy, completely unbelievable and prayers are needed for those more in the path than we are.
Love. Love. This.
; thank you friend!
Thank you Kim, i think at my age its easier, cause i am widowed and retired so i have to depend on God. I can’t watch all my family all the time or have fears cause it will wear you out. God is so good and loving and you are so sweet.
Thank you Marlene and it is exhausting to carry the burdens this world gives us alone. I don’t know how I did it before I started walking with the Lord. I hope to lead people to a lighter load. 🙂
Hi Kim, My husband and I have been praying for everyone in the path of Hurricane Harvey. I know that College Station has been in the path but we have not heard anything about it. We live right outside Fort Worth and watch the DFW news daily. My heart is broken for everyone who lost their homes and livelihood. We will continue to pray for everyone. Please stay safe. God Bless.
It is just horrible. Bryan/College Station has had a ton of rain, but we are doing fine…especially compared to the Houston area directly. It is just crazy. We had a large tree fall in our yard from the soaked ground, but overall we are feeling so blessed by how spared we have been. WE too are praying for the people more adversely affected, it is so sad.
I have been sending up prayers for those in Harvey’s path. God is good and I am thankful for His many blessings. Your words are an encouragement to me. Thank you for your ministry through your blog. I love the stenciled tray too! You have so many talents! God bless you!
thank you friend!!! Harvey was crazy and prayers will be needed for a while to come yet!
Thank you for your gracious words and beautiful tray!
thank you for stopping by!
???? love this. And hey, I’ve seen those eggs before! ????
why yes you have, thank you for the supply!!!!
You are so right, Kim! Well said and a super cute tray.
thank you friend!!!