Welcome to our first {ditto} DIY challenge!

Once a month, beginning today, nine very different bloggers are attempting to recreate in our own homes a project or design element inspired by a haute couture design selected by Darlene Weir of Fieldstone Hill Design. 

If this is your first time stopping by, be sure to read about: The {ditto} DIY Challenge and how you can participate next month!

In addition to Darlene, the participating bloggers include:

Ruth @ Living Well Spending Less
Cindy @ Skip to My Lou
Jen @ Balancing Beauty & Bedlam
Edie @ Life in Grace
Rachel @ Surviving the Stores
Karin @ Trophy Mom Diaries
Lauren @ I am THAT Lady
Kelly @ View Along The Way
Melissa @ The Inspired Room

This was our first inspiration photograph:

{A chic painted tray and vanity vignette, from the home of nina bergsten, photography by marcus lawett.}

The {ditto} DIY Challenge #1:

Create your own painted tray and vanity vignette.

Decorating with trays:

There is nothing I love more than seeing an ottoman with a tray.  It softens the room, it’s a little more interesting, and in a pinch it doubles as additional seating!  How could you not love that?

For this month’s challenge I humbly submit the tray on our Living Room Ottoman.   Everything about this project used things that I already had in my house.  Because Ruth didn’t think I could do it.  There, I’ve said it.

Do you collect Coffee Table Books?  I wouldn’t say that I actively collect them, but I have acquired a small collection over the years from our travels and I love to look through them.  My plan is to rotate them on this tray.  Also on the tray is my faux orchid arrangement, as well as a goat & cow bell from our time on Safari with the Masai, in Africa.

Master Bathroom tray vignette:

What’s this? A SECOND submission?  Overachiever much?

Truthfully, I probably deserve the slacker award for this one because it’s something I’ve already had in my home, but it fits the challenge so I wanted to share it.

Oh Wait, I think that makes me frugal—using something I already have?  What say you, Ruth?

To create this bathroom vignette, I put a woven tray on a teak stool, added a live orchid plant, a tray of succulents, and a couple of shells.

Have you tried decorating with trays?  Why not give it a try?

How to  join the {ditto} DIY Challenge

Remember that beginning next month (on Monday, June 3rd) we are inviting you ALL to join the {ditto} DIY challenge!

Go for the GOLD and find out about the June {ditto} DIY Challenge so that you can join us next month.