Plant Drip Tray From a Picture Frame

Valerie Burge
by Valerie Burge
12 Materials
1 Hour
Easy

Since becoming unemployed I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with growing food! Turns out many things can be re-grown from kitchen scraps! I started re-growing green onions in water and wanted to plant them in soil in the hopes that they will grow on my windowsill all year long.


Given the difficulty in getting out for supplies, I poked around the garage to see what I could find. I found a plastic pot that could work to plant them – it just needed a few drain holes, which were easy enough to drill in. Then it needed a drip tray, but because the pot was an awkward shape the usual side-plate was not going to work. After rummaging some more, I came across an old picture frame that was the perfect shape and size. So I decided to re-purpose it into a drip tray.

Old picture frame

The first thing I did was take the picture frame apart and cleaned the glass with rubbing alcohol. 


Then I did a paint pour on the glass. I used four colours – white and three shades of blue. I mixed each colour in a little shot glass sized cup. I used roughly ¾ flood floetrol and ¼ paint in each cup and mixed them individually with coffee sticks. I just eye-balled the amount of paint based on the vibrance of each colour I wanted. Kids glue and dollar store paints would also work just as well, if you don’t have floetrol and the paints I used on hand. Paint pours just need to have a runny/watery consistency.  

Paint pour supplies
Individual colours

Once my individual colours were ready, I poured them all into one cup. I also added a few drops of hair product to see if the silicone in it would add cells to the pour. I used Coconut milk anti-breakages Serum for hair – but anything with silicone would do. I’ve heard that personal lubrication is an excellent alternative. LOL


Then I put the glass on top of the cup, flipped it over, and just tilted it back and forth to spread the colours on the glass.  

The silicone seemed to cause little dimples in the finish, but I figured they would smooth out as it settled and dried. (And they did.) I also went over it lightly with a hair-dryer just to feather the colours a little better before it dried. Then I left it to dry overnight.

Dimples

Once it dried the effect was pretty neat. Almost like marble and leather all in one. I think that leather/cracked effect was from the hair product/silicone.  

After it dried

The frame:


I did a dry brush with white paint. For anyone not familiar with dry brushing, you basically apply a tiny amount of paint to a brush, then dab the brush on a rag so the brush is almost dry. Then just lightly brush over the piece. A few minutes later (dry brushing dries crazy fast) I did a blue dry brush, using one of the same blues from the paint pour.  

Now that I was ready to put it back together, I did a light bead of waterproof caulk around the inside edges of the frame, before putting the glass back in place. Then once all back together I did another bead of caulk on the outside of the cardboard backing. The caulking was probably unnecessary, but I’m of the view…better safe than sorry!


I thought it would look cute with little feet. I found a few old cabinet knobs in my garage that I simply glued to the four corners using wood glue. Then I left it under the fan for a while for the caulk and the glue to dry.

After I flipped it over I did one last white dry brush on the frame. Then I sprayed everything with satin clear spray – 2 coats.

And here it is – cute little drip tray for my green onions! 😊



PS for anyone who doesn’t know this already – this is how much green onion kitchen scraps grow in water in just 10 days! This amazes me! LOL


Suggested materials:
  • Picture frame   (garage)
  • Cabinet knobs   (garage)
  • Dap Kwik Seal Waterproof seal   (hardware store)
See all materials
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
  • Brandy Brandy on May 03, 2020

    Can you please teach us how to regrow kitchen foods. Have did you get the green onions to regrow? I think that if we all did some inside food recycling we could feed the world!!!

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 10 comments
  • Lillian Hoyt Lillian Hoyt on May 03, 2020

    I have never seen pots like those for the onions, cute....what, where, how, teach me more plz

    • Valerie Burge Valerie Burge on May 03, 2020

      Hi Lillian, I got that pot at a big box store a few years ago. The top was green originally - but I painted it white. The stuff I tried growing in there died, likely because it didn't have drain holes. Now it does! I'm going to try to put together a post within the next few days based on regrowing food from kitchen scraps. It's far easier than I ever imagined!!!

  • Thea Thea on Jul 02, 2020

    I love the colour combinations and the marbled effect will keep one mesmerized.

Next