Give an old cork board a fresh new makeover by turning it into a cute place to display photos of family and loved ones! This DIY message center project is sure to catch the eyes and capture the attention of all who enter the home!
If you’re a regular reader here you’ll know that we recently moved into a 1950’s home and are slowly updating different aspects of it in my Refresh It series. These types of changes are so exciting! We are loving beautifying and bringing new life to our surroundings.
The previous owners glued a cork board to the wall by the dining area. It was looking pretty grungy and in need of a face lift. It’s visible from our front entryway, so it was an eyesore and I’d been wanting to do something fun with it since the day the house became ours.
It’s low enough to the floor that the kids can reach it and we made the mistake of using it as it was intended at first, with thumb tacks to display the kids’ art and photos. But then one morning my three year old had a run-in with a tack and her bare foot (ouch!), so I knew it was time for a repurpose project!
Rather than tearing it down and doing major wall repair work, because that’s what it would require, I decided to keep the board and give it a new life!
I love that this board serves many purposes…I can use it to display Christmas cards in December or kids’ art work, notes and photos all year round!
This makeover can be done with any cork board-old or new.
-Fabric (enough to cover the cork portion of your board) I used Duck Canvas in a fun polka dot print
-Acrylic Craft Paint (I used Terra Cotta by ANITA’S)
-Foam Brushes
–Ribbon in coordinating color (I used Grey Grosgrain-Offray in 1/4″)
-Spray Adhesive (not shown)
-Masking Tape (if the board is already attached to the wall like mine)
-Scissors
I started by masking around the edges of my board to protect the wall.
Give the border a few coats of paint until it’s fully covered.
Allow it to dry completely.
Cut your fabric to fit inside the frame. Allow about 1/4″ extra on all sides so you can tuck it nicely under the frame.
For this step, be sure to go outside, as the spray adhesive is potent and the fumes can be harmful if an an enclosed area. Turn your fabric over and coat the back of your fabric with spray adhesive. Allow to sit for about half a minute so it will get nice and tacky. Place it on your board, ensuring you have the 1/4″ overlay on all sides.
Smooth the fabric down with your hands, ensuring there aren’t any bumps or bubbles and it’s laying flat against the cork.
Now use a butter knife to tuck the excess fabric underneath the frame.
Ta da! Now we’ll add the ribbon so we can display fun things.
Cut two strips of ribbon that are about 1/2″ longer than the length of the inside of your frame. You basically just want to leave enough extra that you can secure it nicely under the frame.
Using your spray adhesive, outdoors, spray the ends of the ribbon.
Tuck the first end under the frame using a butter knife, string it across the board and tuck the other end under in the same manner. You may need to use a little super glue if your ribbon isn’t wanting to stay tucked.
Do the same thing with the other ribbon piece, aligning it so you’ll have room to display photos going upward from it and downward from the other ribbon piece.
Lastly, use the clothespins to hang those items with pride!
This was such a fun project that provides lots of gratification every time I walk past it! I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Now the first thing our guests will see is a fun photo display instead of an unsightly old cork board! I love that it coordinates with my area rug in my living room too!
Chelsea
www.lifewithmylittles.com
Have a fabulous week!
Hugs and love from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
Joyously,
Betty