What do a shot glass bought on vacation, the single surviving heirloom place setting and a random cordial glass have in common? They’re all sentimental and they’ve all become clutter in my kitchen!
In a quest to simplify my life I tackled my kitchen cabinets and found these treasures tucked in the way back. The thought of giving them away made me sad- - even though I don’t use them I didn’t want to lose them. But somehow shoving them back into the cabinet didn’t seem right either. So what else is a green organizer with Girl Scout blood coursing through her veins to do but find a clever re-use of course! After one minor mishap I was able to find a way to stack the dishes to transform them into a useful three tiered serving tray.
1 Make a new serving platter from pieces you already have around!
2 I used a serving plate, dinner plate, cereal bowl, cordial glass, and a shot glass.
3 It's important to use the right kind of glue; ceramic works best for this project.
4 The cordial glass I used stands at 5 1/2 ".
5 I used the shorter 3 "shot glass for the top tier.
6 Apply ceramic glue to the bottom of the cordial glass to get started on the bottom tier.
7 Firmly push the glued base onto the serving platter.
8 Let the base set before moving on.
9 Next, rim the cordial glass with ceramic glue.
10 Add the dinner plate carefully above the glass.
11 Let this layer set as well.
12 Finally, glue the bottom of the shot glass for the top tier.
13 Center the shot glass on the dinner plate and let set.
14 Almost ready for the crowning piece!
15 Make sure everything is set before adding the bowl on top.
16 Bead the rim of the shot glass with glue.
17 Add the bowl and let set.
18 Voila! A new, 3-tiered serving platter.
19 Use it to serve anything from desserts...
20 ...to chips and dip!
21 You can add figurines with ceramic glue for a more customized look.
22 For a beach theme, add pebbles or shells before gluing the next layer.
Here are the steps to turn a few of your sentimental pieces or thrift store finds into your own tiered tray. To make the exact one I did you’ll need one of each:
- 8” dinner plate
- 6” dessert plate
- cereal bowl
- 5 ½” cordial glass
- 3” shot glass
- Ceramic glue
- Place your largest plate, the dinner plate, on a flat surface. Apply glue to the bottom of the cordial glass then push the glass down in the center of the plate. Wait for it to set before step two.
- Apply glue to the rim of the cordial glass then place the smaller dessert place down onto the glass. Again wait for the glue to set.
- Squeeze glue onto the bottom of the shot glass and glue it to the center of the plate. Once again wait for the glue to set.
- Bead the rim of the shot glass with glue then center the bowl onto the glass. Wait one for time for the glue to set.
- Place the serving tray on the table or buffet and fill the levels with food.
Don’t be afraid to get creative, instead of a bowl you can top yours with a teacup or opt for three plates. You can even add little figurines to the edges of some of the dishes. For a beach theme fill the glasses with miniature seashells or decorative rocks before gluing on the next level.
Your new tiered server is ready to go and perfect for chips and dip or desserts or even fruit. So tell me what would you use this for?
GOT ITEMS YOU HATE TOSSING? TRY ME!
What other household items do you hate throwing away but aren't sure how to put to good use? I take requests!
Until next time keep it simple and clutter-free!
Jamie Novak, The World’s Most Relatable Organizer, is author of "Stop Throwing Money Away: Turn Clutter to Cash, Trash to Treasure—And Save the Planet While You're at It." Please visit her website at JamieNovak.com.
From: Jamie Novak | 6/23/11 at 12:58 pm
So my tiered server is now in the entryway with keys on the plates and spare change in the bowl. So far it is working well.
From: Meg | 6/23/11 at 1:16 pm
What a great idea. I love it! I will be trying this out for my next dinner party or gathering. I love minimizing any clutter.
From: Jamie Novak | 6/24/11 at 2:08 pm
Meg I can't wait to hear how it works for you. If you take a photo I'd love to see it!
Oh and a side note someone just wrote to tell me she tried a shorter version using hot glue which she took off after- interesting.
From: Benjamin Z Walton | 2/12/13 at 1:10 am
Hello, Nice blog