WEEK 4 – VINTAGE CAKE STANDS

It’s that time of the week again where you need to get your creative head screwed firmly back on and this weeks make is gorgeous Vintage Cake Stands.

It is amazing what lovely old crockery you can find rummaging around boot fairs, vintage fairs and antiques markets and old plates are really reasonably priced.  You need to have some idea of the colour/style you are going for and find appropriate plates but remember mis-matched cake stands are all the rage. These can look so pretty and are then completely unique.

Normally you would have a dinner plate on the bottom, a side plate for the middle and a saucer for the top but you can make 2 tier smaller ones with a side plate and saucer or a dinner plate and side plate or for something a bit more quirky drill through a cup and put this on as your top layer - giving it a real Alice in Wonderland feeling!    Square or rectangular plates also look great on the bottom level so root around and see what you can find.

You will need: -

A selection of plates
Cake Stand Fixing Kit (available in silver or gold) Easily available on Ebay,  or reclaim them from an old/broken cake stand.
Drill with a tile drill bit (must be a tile drill bit or you will break plates)
Screwdriver
Marker pen
Tape measures
Safety goggles

1. Firstly, wash and dry your plates and put into appropriate piles.  It is nice to give the cake stand a theme, be it colour or flowers but this is entirely up to you.

2. Check the plates over thoroughly before you start.  If there is a hairline crack on the plate it will just break under pressure from the drill.   Then mark the dead centre of the plate with your marker.  This will be your drill guide line.  You are then ready to start drilling.

3. It may be prudent to put on a pair of safety goggles in case of flying chips of china.   This step can be a little tricky so you may want someone to hold the plate still for you while you start drilling.  Make sure you are not going to drill straight into something underneath.  I put my plate on a couple of wooden blocks to support it on a work bench but if you are in any doubt take your plates out into the garden and drill on the grass. 

4.  Make sure you drill right through the plate otherwise the hole will not be large enough to accommodate the screw.  Some old plates have a really thick glaze which is virtually impenetrable. If you start drilling and are getting nowhere just discard this plate – it will just blunt your drill bit.  Carry on drilling through all your plates.  You are then ready to assemble your cake stand.

 5. The cake stand kits come in silver or gold.  I usually buy mine from Ebay and they are relatively cheap (probably about £3.00 each).  Decide which colours you need and buy accordingly.  Alternatively if you are lucky enough to find a vintage cake stand that is damaged you can take it apart and use the stand.

6. You are now ready to start assembling your cake stand.  Start with the largest plate and put a washer underneath and the insert the screw.  Add a soft washer to the top side of the plate and then screw on the first upright stand. 

7. Add another plate and apply washers as before.  Carry on until your cake stand has been completed.  Voila, you can now sit back and marvel at your creative flair and give yourself a huge pat on the back!  I made a very cute 2 tier cream and gold one….

and this blue one is very eye catching……

This pretty little pink floral one is cute….

Try drilling through a cup and adding  this to your top tier – it’s perfect for holding little sweets.  Be creative – your cake stand will be totally unique!

We just love the fact that you can upcycle something old into something gorgeous.

If you don’t fancy making your own cake stands we have a few for sale here at Rustic Angels

This cute cream sweetheart cake stand is £24.95…..

or we have a gorgeous With Love Cake Stand at £24.95 which has gorgeous matching cups and saucers at £12.95 each…..

or we have our popular Regency Style Cakestand at £29.95 which has lots of matching accessories….

A cakestand makes a wonderful gift but remember to keep one for yourself so you can host a magnificent quintisentially English tea party!

Don’t forget to send us in any pics of your creations – we’d love to see them….