I love doing seasonal craft projects, and this particular idea came to me because I wanted to add some Fall decorations to my living room. I had this wooden tray for a few months, and I wanted to do something unique with it:
I saw several ideas on Pinterest on how to stain wood using coffee grounds and vinegar. All I did was combine 1 tbsp of coffee grounds, 2 cups of white vinegar, and steel wool into a jar and let it sit for about 24 hours. This is a very safe and natural way to add color to wood.
I applied the mixture to the wooden tray using the steel wool.
(This is one coat. Apply extra coats if you want a darker color.)
I let it dry for several hours, then I dusted off the coffee residue. Next, I drew designs on the tray and traced over the designs using a wood burning tool. I also painted and added some wooden knobs onto the bottom of the tray to give it some height.
Here is the finished tray:
