Cut It Out
Start by cutting the plywood up.

If you're using a circular saw, set the blade depth to 1/2" inch so it will cut through the plywood but no deeper. Clamp a straight-edge (i.e. a 4' level or a straight piece of lumber) on top of the plywood to guide your saw's base plate. This will ensure a very straight cut. Measure and mark your first cut line, remembering to allow for the distance from the base plate (which rides along the straight-edge) to the blade of the circular saw. It'll make sense when you're doing it, but it's darn dull to read about.

Cut out the all the pieces for the bottom, ends and sides.

Together at Last
Now get your clamps out. It's hell to have the glue drying while you look for the right size clamps. A ratcheting strap clamp works well. Apply glue, clamp everything and after 20 minutes clamping time, install optional decorative nails along the joints.

Cracklin' Rosie
This is a great finish if you're not a good painter. Sloppiness still looks good. Three easy steps:
1. Paint the surface with a coat of latex paint.
2. When the paint is dry, apply a coat of fish glue
3. When the glue is almost dry but still tacky, apply a contrasting colour of paint quickly with long single strokes (so as not to disturb the glue).

Apply pressed flowers to the bottom of the tray with white glue or artist's acrylic matte medium. A microwave flower press dries roses to perfection in under two minutes.

Coat the entire tray with a layer of water-based urethane.

Glass Ho!
Measure the inside of the tray and ask a picture framer to cut a piece of glass to fit. The glass should be about 1/8" shorter than a tightly measured dimension in each direction.

The flowers in the middle of the tray will hold the glass up but the edges need to be supported too so the glass doesn't break under the weight of your breakfast. Apply dots of clear silicone an inch apart along the edges of the tray. The silicone blobs should be about the height of the flowers in the centre. Clean the glass, and drop it into place on top of the flowers.

Cut and mitre the moulding to fit along the edges and glue the pieces in place with carpenter's glue.

Let everything dry (AGAIN). Now loudly encourage your family to salute your efforts by bringing you breakfast in bed.

Deborah Housser