Three pretty plates in one

The three tiered dessert stand has long been a mainstay of dining and formal get-togethers but this quick and easy DIY version can be made to fit in anywhere. Not only is this a space saver for busy BBQ and summer potluck tables but it can also make a unique year-round hostess gift. I chose some bright blues and flowers for a summer feel but you can make one of these for whatever season you choose.

What You'll Need:

• 3 china or ceramic plates, one each: small, medium and large
• 2 glass or ceramic candle sticks
• Clear drying epoxy glue. Look for quick drying 5 minute setup, I used PermaPoxy 5 Min. General Purpose Epoxy
• A thin dry erase marker
• Rubber or latex gloves
• An empty cardboard egg container for mixing your epoxy. Disposable bowls or cups work too, just make sure you have at least 4
• Toothpicks or cotton swabs

Overall Cost: $11-20
Approximate Construction Time: 2 hours

Step 1

Find a safe space to work and make sure it's covered. You'll be working with epoxy which can sometimes get a little messy and if you get it on a surface that you care about it will not come off. I chose to work on an old table covered with newspaper outside on the deck.

Step 2

Wash and dry all plates and candlesticks.

Step 3

Mark the center of each plate with a dry erase marker or pencil:

• For the largest plate which will be the base of the stand, mark only the top.
• For the medium plate which will be in the middle, mark the top and bottom.
• For small plate which will be on top, mark only the bottom.

Note: If you're using ceramic candlesticks you won't be able to see your markings while gluing. I recommend trying your candlestick placement without glue, tracing around the base of the candlestick with dry erase marker, and checking your markings to be sure everything was centered.
It's an easy way to see if you've centered everything correctly and if you did, you'll have placement marked in a much more useable way. Once you glue the piece on you can wipe away the dry erase marker and extra glue with a cotton swab.

Step 4

Put on your gloves and mix the epoxy according to the directions on the package. Don't squeeze out all of the epoxy in one large batch, it's quick drying and will set before you get a chance to put it on the next piece. You'll need to mix a small batch of epoxy each time you glue a piece on to the stand.

Step 5

Glue the first candlestick to the middle of the largest plate. Use the cotton swabs or toothpicks to remove any extra glue around the base of each plate or candlestick. Make sure to wait at least 5-7 minutes before gluing on the next piece. Another good way to gauge whether or not to move on in the gluing process is to check the batch of epoxy that mixed for each piece; if it's dried then it's safe to assume that the piece you used it for has dried as well. Repeat step 5 until you've glued the final plate to the top of the stand.

Step 6

You're done! Bake or buy some beautiful goodies to place on your new dessert tray!