How to Create a Wilted Rose Tiered Tray (plus BIG NEWS!)

NEWS ALERT: Don’t throw away your wilted roses! My husband gifted me 2 dozen red roses for my birthday last week ♥️ and when they began to wilt, I just couldn’t stop admiring their beauty. In fact…I think I prefer wilted roses more then fresh 😆. The darker, moody shades of red, the delicate wavy folding layers, and the tea scent are all so naturally captivating. I hope you enjoy this super simple idea I came up with using a thrift store tray, and yes, you guessed it, wilted roses. But, before we get to “How to Create a Wilted Rose Tiered Tray”, I have some really BIG NEWS to share with you…

Redhead’s Big News: Why we are Selling our Home

I have some tender, personal news I would like to share with you all, today. Rick and I, and even the kiddos, recently came to the decision to sell our beloved home 😲! I’ve witnessed mixed reactions from folks, some shocked, others concerned, and a few excited. I assure you all, everything is on a positive note, it’s simply just time for some well deserved changes, even though it will be so sad to leave the home we poured our hearts into the last 13 years.

You see, our kiddos are now young adults, and as they complete college/work goals, and set out on their chosen paths- we must decided how best to help them, and how to best move on in our huge empty nest, and prepare for our future. With all of that in mind, the market is still quite favorable for sellers in Michigan. In addition, we don’t need all of the stuff or space this house provides.

So…our amazing kids have decided to get their own place to share, and Rick and I are also going to get our own “pad” not far from them. We have been able to locate brand new gorgeous modern apartments being built close by, and we have each reserved our own little nest there while we prepare to build (I can’t wait to show you).

As for the kiddos, they each have a fabulous plan in the works. Our daughter is finishing up her Environment Artist Degree, and has already been snatched up by a large company in LA (she will remain virtual). She is so excited to spread her wings and bake in her very own kitchen. In addition, our brave son begins Emergency Medical Technician training in August 🤭. He decided that art school wasn’t his jive, and instead he wants to help people. We couldn’t be prouder of them both.

As far as Rick and I, well…we are so excited to begin this new chapter in our lives where we can focus more on ourselves, and maybe even travel more. We will be renting the apartment for a couple years while we build our final dream home. Now, when I say dream home, that does not mean big. We are downsizing, and can’t wait to share it with you. So, stay tuned because I plan to share everything from the sale of this house (including the showings I stage), to the decorating of the “apartment”, to the building of our new home. There will still be lots of in-between projects and of course recipes. I hope you will stay tuned in because I’m also planning seasonal giveaways using some of the projects I have posted here. In fact, next week I’m giving away THIS!!!

I hope you can get excited with us, and I promise I am still going to be right here each week unless I pass out from all the stress 😆. All kidding aside…lets get to my most recent project the “Wilted Rose Tiered Tray”…

How I made a Wilted Rose Tiered Tray

Honestly, this wilted rose idea is probably the easiest project I’ve completed in many years. This idea struck me while I was admiring the 2 dozen red roses my husband gave me for my 53rd birthday. I just felt like snipping one of the heads off and putting them onto a plate, so I did. As soon as my husband saw me doing it, he joined me and we placed them all on a single paper plate not really knowing what we were doing 😆. I added the bright greens to it and it stayed there until the next day.

The next morning, inspiration struck while doing the dishes again. I ran downstairs into my storage stash and found my thrift store silver tray that I have used for a jewelry tray for many years until recently (when I started packing-see above for full story). I just knew the wilted roses would sit on this tray so easily.

Boy was I right…I just couldn’t believe it. The wilted rose heads (with no water) looked even better sitting in the silver tray the older they became. Talk about getting better with age! This little idea prolonged the life of the roses my husband gave me which made them even more special, and I felt like we really got the most out of them. Just think of all the options of displaying the older rose heads…a fancy plate, or bowl…or even a cake plate.

Before I get back to packing, I want to give a special shout-out to one of my long-time readers (and very special friends). Sometimes you connect with folks even though you’ve never met in person, and this is what has happened here. “B” sent me this photo of this breath taking painting her husband created from the photo of the sunrise I shared a few weeks ago from our vacation in Kure Beach, North Carolina. When I received the photo, I was immediately taken back to the morning my husband woke me to enjoy our first sunrise together. It was so powerful I had to have a little happy cry right there in bed before I woke my husband to share it with him. Stay tuned…I have big big plans with this photo and I will share it all very soon.

Our Sunrise Painting by a Special Reader’s Husband

Thrift Store Silver Tray Turned Jewelry Storage

Thrift Store Tea Set Filled with Roses