Gingerbread Man Serving Tray

I saw them make this of Carol Duvall Show, who is a genius by the way. This was about a year ago. I swore I was going to make one. They are cutest things I have ever seen. Well, when I decided that I was making this blog I knew this was one of the crafts I had to include. Although these aren't exactly a "quick" craft due to drying times, it is fun and so worth it. Everyone I have made them for LOVES them.

Materials:

11-1/2" clay saucer
6-3/4" clay saucer
4" clay saucer
two 4" standard clay pots
two 1" x 1-1/4" mini terra cotta pots
six 1-1/2" standard clay pots
4" azalea clay pot
4 small wooden beads
18- or 20-gauge craft wire
wire cutters
pencil
four wooden spools (3/4" x 1")
Folk Art acrylic paint: (although I don't follow this color code exactly)
- Warm White #649
- Raw Sienna #452
- Licorice #938
- Rose Pink #632
- Napthol Crimson #435
- Yellow Ochre #917
- Hunter Green #406
gloss varnish polyurethane( I just use my regular sealer I use for all my projects. I can't see spending money on a separate one.)
Apple Butter Brown #819 antiquing medium
Aleene's Patio & Garden Outdoor Adhesive or Liquid Nails
flat paintbrush or foam brush
small liner brush for detail work
painter's caulk
painter's masking tape
white Polymark dimensional fabric & craft paint pen

1. You'll be assembling the table upside down. Begin by turning the 11-1/2" saucer lip side down.

2. Glue the 4" azalea pot upside down on the center of the 11-1/2" saucer, lip side down.

3. Glue the 4" standard pot right side up to the end of the azalea pot, end to end .


4. Glue the other 4" standard pot upside down to the first 4" standard pot, lip to lip.

5. Glue the 4" saucer facing up to the end of the second 4" standard pot, end to end and centered.


6. Glue the end of the 6-3/4" saucer facing up to the lip of the 4" saucer, centered.

7. To assemble the arms: String a small bead to one end of a wire about 7 inches long. Secure the bead. String on a 1-1/2" clay pot, lip first, through the drainage hole so the bead is concealed inside.

8. Next string on a wooden spool and another 1-1/2" pot in the same manner so the pot conceals the spool.

9. Add one more spool and 1-1/2" pot the same way. String on another small wooden bead to secure the arm pieces. Repeat to make a second arm.

10. Attach the arms to the tray on either side of the head by the lip of the end pot. Glue and tape in place, using the painter's tape to secure the pieces until the glue sets.

11. Glue the sides of the last pots along either side of the face and tape to hold in place until glue sets.

12. Cover the exposed bead ends with the two mini terra cotta pots. Hide the bead inside the pot and glue the sides to each side of the body.

13. Use painter's caulk to fill in any gaps around the arms and where they meet the body and head. Allow glue and caulk to dry completely.

14. To paint the gingerbread man: Basecoat the 11-1/2" saucer tray and the bottom 6-3/4" saucer in warm white paint.

15. Basecoat everything else raw sienna.

16. Add a napthol crimson stripe to the middle of the 6-3/4" saucer around the circumference.

17. Make the candy swirls on the top tray by locating the center by eye. Use a lunch plate or another 6-3/4" saucer to
create even swirls.

18. Using a pencil, trace a curve from the center to the end and overlap the edge of the saucer. Continue around the center evenly spacing the curves.

19. Paint every other stripe napthol crimson.

20. Paint oval shaped eyes in warm white. Add large licorice pupils and outline the eyes in licorice. Add a warm white highlight to the eyes.

21. Use rose pink to paint a circle for the nose and outline it in licorice Add a warm white highlight.

22. Paint a wiggly smile in licorice.

23. Add buttons in assorted colors. Outline buttons and paint crossed threads in licorice.

24. Using the white dimensional fabric paint pen, add wavy frosting lines around the small saucer at base, the "waist", the "neck", and the top of the head. Add wavy lines to "cuff" of arms. Refer to photo for placement.

25. Paint on antiquing medium and wipe off the desired amount.

26. Seal the entire project with high gloss polyurethane.

Tips: Use a doily or napkin on the tray when serving unwrapped cookies or cakes.

Here is the website with pictures and the instructions from above.

The cost of the project when I made mine were usually around $10.