I’ve always wanted to do something with resin
My grandmother passed away a few years ago on Christmas morning and we all still miss her larger-than-life personality. I wanted to make a keepsake for my parents and decided to do a cookie tray since my grandmother was famous for her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. See where I am going? Tray, resin, memories… The hardest part was finding just the right tray for what I wanted. I wanted it to be clear and have high sides to hold the resin. With a little help from a friend, I found just the right tray and it even had a lid to it!
Next, I had to pick out what I wanted in the tray. Since it was an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie theme I went with some actual oatmeal, a measuring spoon, some baking stickers, a copy of the recipe, a picture of grandma and an enlarged copy of her signature, which I scanned from an old letter she written to me. I inked the edges of the paper to give it a vintage look. (I have other ideas for the signature, too, but more on that later.)
I applied a few small Zots glue dots to the back of my photos and other items, and arranged them in the bottom of the tray. I didn’t want them to shift around when I poured in the resin
I had fun decorating the tray with all the stickers and items, but my favorite part was the oatmeal. I just love how natural it looked scattered around the tray.
Once everything was situated, it was time mix the resin.
The resin
We followed the package directions and mixed the resin in an empty, metal coffee can. We used a wooden dowel to stir the mixture for the recommended amount of time.
While you wait for me to stir, let me take a minute to tell you how we knew how much resin to mix, because this is a good tip. Before I started this project, I put the tallest item in the tray — the measuring spoon — and carefully poured in water until the spoon was covered. I then poured all that water into a measuring cup to see how much it was. Since I knew it would take 2 1/3 cups of water to fill the tray and cover the spoon, I knew I would need 2 1/3 cups of resin. This really helped me avoid wasting any resin or not having enough.
Once you have the resin all mixed up, slowly pour it into the tray. I poured onto the more stable items and let it spread out from there.
The oatmeal had a tendency to move around as I poured, so Chica used the stir stick to keep moving it back where it belonged. I didn’t want it over top of the picture, recipe, or signature.
Then we waited. That was a lot of resin, and it took a long time to dry. I left it a couple of days to be sure it was nice and cured. Meanwhile, I made some of my grandma’s famous cookies to go with the tray.
I want to share the recipe with you, but first I’m going to tell you the “secret” to her cookies. Ready? Make the dough the night before and chill it thoroughly. Then, you bake the cookies at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. This makes your cookies turn out divinely crunchy. For a soft cookie, you don’t have to chill the dough and bake them for a shorter time at 350 degrees.
Mama Clark’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat oven and grease cookie sheet. Beat together shortening, sugars, water, vanilla, eggs, salt, and baking soda. Beat with mixer until smooth. Add flour and beat again. Add oats, chocolate chips, and nuts, mixing by hand. Place batter in refrigerator until cold. For chewy cookies, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 8 minutes. For crunchy cookies, use thoroughly chilled dough (chill overnight) and bake for approximately 15 minutes at 325 degrees. |
After a couple of days of curing, my resin cookie tray was all set and gorgeous. Most resin is NOT approved for extended food contact, so if you are going to store your cookies or other food items in a bowl or tray you make with this resin, please be sure and put a piece of plastic wrap down first.
It makes me so happy to see this tray all filled up with Mama’s cookies!
15 comments so far:
This is such a wonderful idea. My daughter’s birthday is around the corner. I’m going to attempt one for her.
Both my boys tended to have tons of tiny treasures stuffed in their drawers. The only way I could get them to clean the drawers out was to give them each a storage box. As the drawers filled with special cars, action figures, key chains, sports cards, marbles, bottle caps( I could go on and on here), I would get them to add those they were not using anymore but could not part with to the box. I think it would be great fun to use some of those pieces to make trinket trays when each of them is expecting one of their own little ones.
Thanks for another great idea.
Baye, I love the idea of trinket trays! Little Jo has started quite the collection of odds and ends herself. I am going to use this idea for her. I also thought it would be a great way to preserve things from a wedding.
I love this idea, despite the smell factor
Can you tell us where you found the plastic tray and cover? Can you use any acrylic/plastic tray???
What an INCREDIBLY wonderful gift to your entire family! (The only thing I would add is maybe your grandma’s date of birth and date of death – or the date you made the tray, or something that would show a date. This beautiful tray is going to be in your family a long, long time, so you want to be sure your heirs will know the timeframe it covered.) You do such great and fun work – sure wish I could “craft-play” with y’all sometime!!!!
What sweet memories this will always bring back. I mean SWEET also because of the recipe. I love this idea. I need to try this also. You are so smart.
Rachel, you can use any acrylic or plastic tray, bowl, platter, etc. I found mine at Garden Ridge. Another good place to look would be a party store. Casey, thanks for the suggestion on adding the date, wish I had done that now!
I love that you did a tray- what a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing this, I’ll be linking.
WOW! That is an incredible keepsake, and I just LOVE how it combines 3 generations: Your handiwork, the gift to your parents and the subject being your grandmother, and including her signature. So personal. Again, WOW!
Also, very clever on how the resin was measured beforehand.
wow what a great idea!! where do you get resin?
Thanks for sharing
Connie, you can find online or in some craft stores. A good one to try is Easy Cast, which is readily available on Amazon.
where did you find your trays ..I live in a small town and we have no craft stores…
This is the most flipping charming thing I have ever seen. (I mean that in a good way)..
Can’t wait to replicate it with my Mom’s “Monster Cookies”.. Thanks for an amazing idea and a wonderful site.. Just wondering how has the oatmeal done over time?
Susie, thanks! The oatmeal looks just the same as the day I put it in there! It’s doing great!
Can you use this on a glass or antique tray or plate?
Debi, in theory you should be able to use it on glass, but you should check the package directions of whatever brand you buy to be sure.