DIY Cakestands

So I'm not exactly a crafty person. I'm woefully inept when it comes to creating things. But will I let a little thing like being devoid of artistic talent stop me? Never!

I came across the neatest project on a cool site called Design Sponge. I've been thinking about how Matt and I want cupcakes at our reception instead of the traditional tiered behemoth. This would be an awesome way to display them! This is what Kate had to say about the project:

"This diy project is inspired by one of my favorite ceramic artists, Sarah Cihat. I found most of my plates and candlesticks at goodwill. I also used some of those little vases you get when someone gives you flowers, which normally I think are ugly, but here they seem to have found a purpose! I left many of the cakestands bare because I love the original plate designs. If you aren’t happy with the plate or base you can always paint them, or give them a graphic silhouette design (instructions below)."

Kate’s Recycled Cake/Cupcake Stands

What You’ll Need:

- old plates (any size)
- old candlesticks or vases (look for anything that is wider at the bottom, with a sturdy base and a flat top)
- epoxy (from a hardware store)
- masking tape
- popsicle stick or q-tips without their fluff (something to apply the epoxy with)
- paper plate or scrap cardboard (something to mix the epoxy on that you can throw out)
- rags and cleaning solution

For the variation:

- template of silhouette (or you can free hand)
- contact paper
- scissors
- spray paint

Directions:

1. Pick out which pieces you want to put together and test it out. They should be able to balance on each other without the glue. If not, you may want to rethink your choices... is your plate too uneven or does your base have a flat enough top?

2. Clean all plates and vases/candlesticks thoroughly. Dry completely.

3. Measure the back of the plate and mark a dot in the center with a pen or marker.

4. Squeeze out a little epoxy and follow its directions for use. After it’s mixed, apply it to the top of the candlestick/vase and gently place your base upside down onto the plate, using your dot as a guide to help you center it.

5. Let it sit for a few minutes, then gently press down on it to hold it in place and get rid of any excess epoxy with a q-tip. Apply tape on four sides to anchor it while it dries.

6. Let it dry overnight.

VOILA!

Note: While these are sturdier than you would expect, they are not dishwasher safe. I recommend gently cleaning by hand.

Silhouette version:

After the cake stand is glued together and dried overnight, you can pretty much do whatever you want with it: paint, decoupage, etc. I really love Sarah Cihat’s graphic patterns so I decided to do something similar on one of my less attractive plate/vase combos.

1. Trace and cut out your pattern on contact paper. Make sure contact paper still has its paper backing on it when you do this.

2. Gently peel contact paper away from its backing and place the sticky side on your plate where you want the design to go. Press down evenly and smooth out any and all air bubbles. Make sure all edges are firmly pressed down.

3. Prime the entire plate and base with primer spray paint and let dry (you will need to flip it over a couple times, make sure the top is dry before you flip it to spray the bottom).

4. Paint it whatever color you wish. Let dry completely.

5. When dry, use an exacto to carefully lift the contact paper.

Note: This plate is not meant to have your bare food placed on it. Usually I place cupcakes or pies in their pans on cake stands. If you want to be able to put food directly on it, I recommend sealing it with a varnish or sealant.