I don’t think I’ve ever done a copycat project before, but this one could not be helped!! After hearing that Grandin Road had released some “Raven inspired” merchandise, I don’t think my fingers could type quick enough to get to their website. And there it was…. a black three-tiered Raven server (pictured below). I had to have it. And then I saw the price. Suddenly I found myself in one of those all too familiar situations where I think to myself …. “I can make that”. And here we are.
One of the things I found attractive about Grandin Road’s stand (besides the obvious Raven) was it’s material and weight. Too often, I’m disappointed to find Halloween decor made from plastic. But this stand was made with a resin base, and three earthenware plates. Even the center post was thick compared to the typical thin metal rod found in most tiered stands. I wanted to be sure to recreate these same attributes when I made my version.
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I’ll be honest… recreating those attributes was a bit more frustrating than I had expected! I am a huge fan of salvaging abandoned pieces, so I did a lot of browsing in thrift stores and antique markets to find my supplies. I hit snag after snag, and every time I thought I found a solution… another snag. Hopefully all of my trial & error will make your hunt for the perfect pieces a little easier!!
Challenge 1. The plates. Finding 3 of a kind is not as easy as I thought it would be. If you don’t care about them matching… it’s not difficult to pick up three random black dishes in a variety of sizes at thrift stores. But if you do want them to match.. here are 2 ways to make it happen. Almost every set of dishes comes with a dinner plate and a salad plate. It’s the third one that can be hard to find. Look for a set that includes a cup and saucer. The saucer could act as the smallest top tier. OR find a set that has companion serving pieces. A matching serving tray could act as the largest bottom tier. One other thing to consider when shopping for plates…. they will need to have a hole in the center. Drilling a hole into a glass or ceramic plate sounds harder than it actually is (I go into more detail below), but if you’d rather simplify this step, choose a plate material that is easy to drill through.
Challenge 2 – The Base. Oh, the base. If you want to be able to follow my tutorial, you will need a base you can drill into… and unless you have some serious drill bits, it means you need to find something wood. You also need a base that is wide enough to support 3 tiers of dishes and food. I suggest finding a large decorative wood candlestick, and cutting the base off of it. But beware… all of those amazingly ornate candlesticks you come across that would be just PERFECT for this project are probably made of resin.
The center rod also needs to be wood, but this is much easier. I happened to find an old table leg at an antique market, but depending on how decorative you want your center rod to be, many home improvement stores sell wooden dowels or spindles that would also be the perfect size. Just choose something sturdy that can be cut to size, and drilled into at either end.
Challenge 3 – The Raven topper. Ravens and crows are easy to find this time of year, so take advantage of all of the Halloween merchandise for sale. I was determined to find a solid figurine style raven, like Grandin Road’s, but didn’t realize how hard that would be. Unfortunately, 90% of the Raven’s are the feathered kind (if you’re ok with that, they are not only easy to find, but much less expensive). Most of the ones that were solid, were way too big or heavy. Keep your top tier in mind, so the Raven doesn’t seem top heavy in comparison. After a lot of hunting for the perfect Raven, I actually ended up just buying a natural wood, carved bird, and painting it black to look like a Raven. Unfortunately, I had to compromise on the “Flying” Raven like Grandin Road’s. I still love the way this stand turned out, but I admit… I made it in a way that allows me to keep my options open if I ever find the perfect Raven! :)
Now for the nitty gritty details:
What you’ll need:
- Decorative Base
- Silver Paint
- Black wax or Gesso
- Stencil Brush
- Painters cloth
- Dowel or Post for Center Rod
- Saw
- 3 Black Plates in a variety of sizes
- Variable speed drill
- Precision tip ceramic/tile drill bit (same size as Dowel Screws)
- Block of scrap wood or foam
- Masking tape
- Marker
- Drill Bit for wood (same size as Dowel Screws)
- Dowel Screws (same size as drill bit) – I used 5/16 – 2 1/2″
- Raven
- E6000 Glue
1. Once your base is cut, paint it silver. It will likely look a bit bright, but don’t worry… you’ll dull it up next.
2. When the paint is dry, use a stencil brush, or your finger to rub the black wax or gesso into the creases of the base. Immediately use the cloth to wipe away any excess. This will dull the silver, and add a darker, aged finish. (See photo above)
3. Next, you will need to cut your center rod to size. If you are using 3 plates, you will need 2 posts in between the plates, and one post at the top for the Raven to perch on. Determine the distance you would like between each plate, as well as how high above the top plate you want the Raven. I used 5 1/4″ posts between each plate, and a 4 1/4″ post at the top. This may be different depending on how large your plates are. Just be sure to think through what you plan to serve or display on each tier, so you have enough room. You may also want to consider how tall the entire piece will be.
4. Once you’ve determined your measurements, use a saw to cut each segment of your post. If you bought your post at a hardware store, typically they can make these cuts for you.
5. Paint the center rod silver, and apply the same black aging finish as the base.
6. Onto the plates… use a piece of masking tape to make an X over the center of the plate where you want the hole. Mark the exact spot with a marker. The masking tape will help prevent the drill bit from cracking or chipping the plate.
7. Place the plate on a block. I used a block of hard packing foam, but a block of wood or Styrofoam would also work. This just gives the drill something to go into once it’s through the plate.
8. You must use a precision tip drill bit made for drilling through glass, porcelain, or tile.
9. Hold the drill at a perfect 90-degree angle above the plate. Begin drilling SLOWLY. Apply consistent, light pressure and maintain a 90-degree angle at all times. If you are feeling unsure about this, buy some practice plates at a thrift store!
10. Pull the drill back as soon as you feel it enter the block of foam or wood.
11. Remove the masking tape and wipe off your plate.
12. Repeat for all 3 plates.
13. Mark the center at the top of the base, and drill a hole just deep enough for half of the dowel screw.
14. Secure a dowel screw into the hole of the base.
15. Slide the plate over the screw and onto the base.
16. Mark the center of the top and bottom of each of the center rod segments, and drill a hole just deep enough for half of the screw.
17. Screw the bottom center rod segment onto the screw that is secured into the base, sandwiching the plate.
18. Secure the next screw into the hole on top of the bottom center rod, slide the middle plate on, and again screw the middle center rod segment on, sandwiching the plate.
19. Repeat for the top tier.
20. How you finish the top depends on the raven you choose. Mine was set on a squared off base, and I didn’t love the look of the square base sitting atop the center rod. So, I painted a round wooden disk to match the base and rod. I drilled a hole through the center of the disk. One end of a dowel screw went into the top of the center rod. The other went through the disk and into the base of the Raven.
21. My next step was to secure the Raven onto the disc with E6000 Glue. As I mentioned, for now I am leaving the Raven only screwed in (not glued) just in case I finally happen upon the perfect “Flying” Raven. Note.. if using E6000 glue to attach any part of the stand, it’s best to allow 24 hours for it to completely dry and set.
And there you have it… a DIY Tiered Raven Halloween Serving Tray pretty darn close to the one I drooled over in Grandin Road. Obviously a lot of lessons learned during this project, but at the end of the day it was really all about finding the right materials. I’m so glad that I stuck to my guns when it came to finding quality materials, because now I have a a beautiful serving piece that I can use all year long.
If you like Ravens as much as I do… be sure to stop by my shop for plenty of Raven inspired merchandise!
This looks terrific, Alexandra! There’s never too many ravens at my house! Our Haunted Halloween dinner will be very small this year (5 immediate family) but it’s nice to make something new anyway. I’ve been experimenting with making a bowl of poisoned apples with a bag of wooden apples I snagged at a thrift store. I’m not satisfied with them yet, any suggestions? Have a extra haunted Halloween and spend time under that full blue moon! 🌝🎃
Hi Lynne! I actually might have an idea for those poisoned apples, but it would be impossible for me to try to explain. Maybe I’ll snag some wooden apples and test it out… would make for a great post if it worked out the way I see it in my head! 🙂 And yes… small Halloween dinner here too!! Enjoy the rest of this wonderful month!!
Better than the one on Grandin Road. I love the plates you used. Thank you for sharing. Mary
Mary.. Thank you sooo much! I really appreciate the compliment!!
Just beautiful!! Yours turned out so much better! All hallows blessings to you and yours 🖤🧡🖤
Thank you so much Krissy!
Although I found it interesting, I liked the ideas posted here. The products you use look tremendous. Hope you have a perfect Halloween, goodbye.
Great post thank you
!