As the weather continues to warm up, we’re all thinking of outdoor entertaining. Having a Utensil Caddy for a Tropical Party is convenient, and using a thrift store find makes it budget friendly!

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I’m hoping that in the not too distant future, we’ll begin to have parties and entertain our friends and family again. I’ll be ready when the time comes with a tropical themed party. Today, I’m sharing a fun utensil caddy for a tropical party.
Tropical Painted Utensil Caddy

I found this caddy at my local Goodwill months ago. It still had the TJ Maxx price sticker on it, along with a clearance tag. It found it’s way to the donation boxes and I bought it for $1.99.

Given all of the stickers on it, I’m not sure if it had been used at all. It was in great condition and only needed to be cleaned up a little. I used TSP and a lint free cloth to clean it.
I was glad that the blue fits in well with the assortment of colors I’ll use for the tropical decor. I didn’t want to paint it because I plan to have this hold utensils, straws, and cocktail picks that I don’t want to touch fresh paint.

To give it the right look for the party I have in mind, I used a tropical leaf self adhesive stencil. I’ve found the best way to paint using a stencil is to use a spouncer and apply the paint in light coats.

A tropical party is always a colorful party, so I used different paint colors for each side of the center of the caddy.

After the paint dried, I used DecoArt Dura-Clear to protect the painted tropical leaves. I always use two coats of this for better protection.

These pretty flower print napkins are ones that I found in a bin with other seasonal napkins. The colors and the flowers go well with the utensil caddy. I didn’t have enough to fill the slot so that they wouldn’t fall over, so to hold them in place, I folded a few of them in half and tucked them in with the others.

I always have a stash of paper straws and cocktail picks. I bought this large box of picks a couple of years ago for a Flamingo Themed Party.

Supplies Used for Tropical Party Utensil Caddy
- Thrift Store Find Caddy
- TSP and Lint Free Cloth
- Assorted Acrylic Paints
- Craft Paint Brushes
- Tropical Leaf Self Adhesive Stencil
- Protective Finish
- Utensils, Party Picks, and Napkins
I’m hopeful that later this summer, we’ll have a fun tropical themed party. I’m working on more decor for the party and I’ll look forward to sharing it with you soon.
A Utensil Caddy for a Tropical Party is convenient & budget friendly. #thriftstorefind #tropicalparty #outdoorentertaining Click To TweetPin Me, Please!
Tropical Party Decor
Utensil Caddy

Click for more party decor and lots of party DIY ideas!
Each month, a group of craft, home decor, and recipe bloggers co-host a themed blog hop. This month, we’re all sharing outdoor decor or entertaining ideas.

Meet this month’s co-hosts!
Across the Blvd | Purple Hues & Me
Stone Cottage Adventures | Southern Sunflowers
Slices of Life | Chas’ Crazy Creations
Sew Crafty Crochet | Sum of Their Stories
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Gail @Purple Hues and Me says
Oh my, Beverly! What a great find at the thrift store! Plus you worked your magic turning it into a pretty party caddy! So cool! But I’m sure you’ll probably find other uses for it, too! It’s so versatile!
Beverly says
Thanks, Gail! I was happy when I found it even though I didn’t know at the time what I would do with it. It could have lots of uses.
Chas Greener says
What a fun find, and how creative you are! This is such a great idea and I love how it turned out. Thank you so much for sharing.
Beverly says
Thank you, Chas! I was happy with how it turned out and I’m looking forward to having a summer party when we can use it.
Linda Primmer says
ThIs turned out so cute. It would look great down by our pool for entertAining.
Kudos for CREATING something so cute and TROPICAL. have a great week.
Beverly says
Thanks, Linda! It would be great poolside. Hope you have a lovely week, too.
Ellibelle says
What a great goodwill find and you’ve decorated it so beautifully for summer!
Thanks for sharing!
Beverly says
Thank you! Finding ways to give new life to old thrift store finds is one of my favorite things to do!
Joanne says
What a great find! I love something that is both useful and pretty. Pinned.
Beverly says
It’s fun to find items that can be used with just a little makeover. Thanks, Joanne!
T'onna | Sew Crafty Crochet says
So cute and such a great idea! I love the tropical leaves you painted onto the caddy! This was really a great find!
Beverly says
Thanks, T’onna! I was happy to have had the stencil in my craft stash.
Allyson says
You worked your magic again on a thrift store find! I like that you used different colors on each side. Pinned. Thanks for letting me join your group!
Beverly says
Thanks so much, Allyson! I love the different pops of color on this, too. Happy to have you join the group!
Julie says
What an absolute steal at just $1.99! It’s so good to have somewhere to corral all the party ‘stuff’, this is a great makeover. Now we just need to be able to have parties again!
Beverly says
It was! Thanks, Julie! I was happy to have found it! I can’t wait until we can have fun parties, either!
Marci says
Your caddy is just perfect for utensils! The next time I visit a thrift store, I will be looking for something similar! pinning -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Beverly says
Thanks, Marci. It will come in handy for outdoor entertaining.
Marilyn says
Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn