Welcome friends! It’s time for another tray tour hosted by Katherine of Katherine’s Corner, and this time we’re bringing you summer on a tray. Join me on a journey through mine and 13 other bloggers’ summer trays that are sure to give you a plethora of decorating inspiration. Let’s get into it!
If you’re here after visiting Irene over at My Slice of Mexico, welcome! I’m so glad you’re here today on my first day back from a much-needed vacation! I didn’t go anywhere, but just took some time for myself to relax from blogging. Every day was still spent on the blog but without the panic of getting two new posts out every week on top of two new link parties. At the end of this post I will direct you to our next stop on the tour, and I encourage you to head over there and continue on this blog tour. You don’t want to miss a stop because all of these ladies are beyond talented!
Mini Summer Tray
Let’s start my summer tray tour with this little wood tray that I just love. I got it from Amazon, and it’s extremely affordable. I’m thinking of purchasing another one for our guest bathroom, perhaps this time in the white option since that would match our cabinet in there.
This little tray was bought specifically for holding hand soap next to our kitchen sink. Once I had it, I of course had to have beautiful soap dispensers to display on it. These amber-colored glass soap dispensers are extremely high quality, heavy pieces that I just love. I added a Dollar Tree sand dollar to the tray to add a little of my coastal farmhouse theme that I use during the summer. (If you’re digging the ceramic tray and scrub brush, it’s also from Amazon.)
My son just had to apply the labels on these bottles y’all. He was not having me just leave them blank, lol! Talk about nerve wracking, watching an 11-year-old apply sticky labels that will not easily peel off to straighten! He did well, though, and they’re perfectly straight. Oval labels also come with them, if you prefer, and two in white and two in black. I thought it would be easy for us to identify which soap we were about to pump if I used black for dish soap and white for hand soap.
Round Summer Tray
Next stop on my summer tray tour is this round acacia cutting board turned decorative tray. This cutting board is so pretty, I simply can’t use it as a cutting board yet! It will remain at least a charcuterie tray if not a decorative tray for a while.
This tray holds a bit of the summer nature that you’ll find plenty of in my area, a lovely wood planter filled with boxwood greenery, wood, and a vase of seashells. I have so many shells, it’s ridiculous, but they’re great to have during the summer because they’re very easy to decorate with. I also have wood utensils aplenty, and they also make great decor when they’re placed in a ceramic utensil jar. This tray is utilitarian as well as decorative. I also pop our paper towels on the back of the tray to keep them corralled somewhere pretty. (I meant to take them off for the photo, but, hey, you’re getting the real, real here!)
Tulip Tray
This is another acacia cutting board that I use in my kitchen decorating. It is so cheap, but I promise you, it’s gorgeous and worth so much more than $11!
On this tray I placed a pitcher of tulips, a handful of shells, and an ocean driftwood scented candle from Bath & Body Works (which is similar to mahogany teakwood with scents of the ocean added in). This candle and the plugins are a must for bringing the summer scents indoors. Scent is a huge trigger of seasonal memories for most people, and I am definitely one of them! I planned to swap out my tulips for peonies, but they have yet to come in, so the tulips have stayed in place for now.
Summer on a Tray Blog Tour
Well friends, that’s all I have to share on my leg of the tour. I hope that you have enjoyed my summer trays. Our next stop is over at The Antiqued Journey with Rachel, and you’re going to love her tray! We hope that you will continue the tour to see all 14 trays and then be inspired to create your own summer tray!
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Don’t go yet! There’s more to see!
There’s plenty more to see here on the blog! If you’re looking for something specific, use the search box in the sidebar to look it up. If not, you might enjoy these ideas. Don’t have time to read them all now? That’s ok, just click over to the posts using the pictures and pin them for later. You can also add Life as a LEO Wife to your favorites and check back for new ideas and free printables and SVGs every Wednesday, as well as link parties with tons of shared ideas on Sundays!
All your wooden trays are so pretty Niki, and I love the idea of using a tray for the soaps by your sink, I need to do that so they get put back in place instead of all over the counter top. The seashells are a great way to add a touch of summer!
Thank you! That’s exactly why I got the little tray lol! I was tired of seeing the dish soap knocked over next to the sink lol!
HI there Leo’s wife! Love this kitchen sink display! Love it! PS I can’t find your first name on your blog! Is it at the top and I missed it?// laura
You didn’t Laura. I didn’t see it at the moment either. I must’ve moved things around or something at some point. It used to be there with a picture and a scripture over it. I can’t even find that photo in my media. I probably didn’t label it right years ago, so now it’s so far back that it would take forever to scroll to without a label. So I updated it for the moment with a placeholder. I’m Niki and Robert is my husband, but he was a LEO (law enforcement officer) for over 15 years, so that’s where that came in lol!
Hi Niki, I love decor that is functional AND pretty and you’ve ticked both boxes with your lovely trays! Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction
Thanks Cecilia!
Super lovely tray ideas for Summer, Niki! The wood tones remind me of driftwood. Fun hopping with you today!
Thanks Rachel! I need to get out and find some driftwood for the season!
Hi, Niki! I love your tray tour in a tray tour, LOL! All the themes are both functional and decorative, and the natural colour palette is refreshing and calming.
Lol! Thanks Irene!
You’ve proved that practical can also be pretty, especially when coordinated throughout the room! Enjoyed touring with you!
Thank you Sandra! Definitely love to keep it functional!
I love all your summer trays! Your kitchen looks so bright and airy. I love it. All the sea shell touches are perfect for summertime feels. Fun hoppin with you today. XO- MJ
Thank you! I can’t wait to paint the cabinets white. Well, I can’t wait for them to be done lol. I seem to be able to keep putting it off!
I like all of your lovely trays especially the glass bowl one.Thank you for joining in the fun xo
Thanks for having me!
This is such a cute little tray Niky! I love the seashells!
Thank you Nicolle!
Niki,
I love all these cute trays!! They are all so cute and love how you styled them….I hope you are having a great week!! Nice touring with you!!
Hugs,
Deb
Thanks! You too!
Your kitchen trays are the perfect on that counter top. We have a small kitchen with very limited counter space. My husband liked to keep it cleared of things so he would have a good work space.
Happy Summer!
Thank you Sarah! We have sooo much counter space, but at our old house it was very limited. I kept it clear in that house for sure!
I like the mini summer tray the best, it’s so coastal. Thanks so much for linking up at the #UnlimitedLinkParty 121. Pinned.
Isn’t it cute?! Thanks!
I never thought of using cutting boards as trays. What a great idea!
Thank you Catherine!
Niki,
I love your tray ideas, especially the one with the tulips. Fabulous!
Hugs,
Bev
Thank you Bev!
Love all your cutting board trays Niki, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who has boards I don’t want to mess up by cutting on them! 😊 Your son has good taste – I like the labels too! So nice touring with you this summer. Take care till next time!
Thanks Barbara! Looking forward to next time!