Childhood Bulletin Board

When my sisters and I got our own rooms we all got a desk and a bulletin board. We were so excited to have grown up stuff and loved to sit at our desks doing homework, crafts, and journalling. I took my desk to college with me and had it for the first couple years of my marriage. The desk, however, started to get worn and tired from moving so much. It also didn't fit into our new teeny, tiny apartment. So, a trip to IKEA was in order. The hubby and I found the perfect desk for our space.

I still wanted to use the bulletin board, but it just didn't fit into the decor any more. I set to work looking for the perfect way to spice it up. I thought a piece of fabric over the cork board part and a coat of paint on the frame would revamp it. You know I can't sew from when I made my door hanger, but I can staple.

I have to admit that I called on Mr. Firefly to help me take apart the bulletin board. It was stuck together! I thought it would be a simple matter or taking out a nail or staple, but this was not the case. Check out what Mr. Firefly found when he finally managed to get the corner apart!

There was a huge piece of metal that went through the whole piece of wood. I'm glad we were able to get it apart and slide out the cork board by just opening one corner. I then cut the fabric and started to staple it on just as you would upholster.

I know it didn't need to look perfect because it was just going back in the frame. But it was easy to do and I wanted it to fit back nicely. I painted the frame and nice white to go with the polka dots.

I then put the fabric-covered cork board back into the frame. Voila! A beautiful bulletin board that fits in our little tiny office. I love how it turned out, but I thought it needed a little something. I have a billion white tacks, but they are boring and hard to grab. I found these cute brads at Hobby Lobby for $2.

I cut off the ends and super glued the tacks to my fingers the brads. They work perfectly on my new bulletin board.

I'm really happy how it turned out. Just in time for me to go back to school next week.

Now we just need a nice desk chair to go with our great desk area. I would also love to paint a different colour on the walls. Too bad we can't in a rented space.

Happy Crafting,
Kristin

PS: Check here to see where we link up.

Don't Forget Door Hanger

In our little apartment we don't have any entry way to speak of. We also don't have a front closet so we had to be a little creative. I found a wonderful coat tree at Ikea that fits perfectly beside the front door. Then I put a little mat under it so our shoes can sit there nicely. The only thing that was missing was a place to hang our keys, place our phone, and put mail. 

I did the only thing that you can do when your stuck... I ran to Pinterest. After a long search I found the perfect solution. This is my inspiration for the project.

Here's what you need:
Door Hanger Template (You can download my template here.)
Fabric
Thread and Needle
or
Glue Gun

Step One
I first made a template and made sure that the door hanger would be wide enough to fit a standard envelope. Then I traced the template onto cardboard so that it would be sturdy enough to hang my phone and keys.

Step Two
Then I cut the fabric just a little bit bigger than my template. For sewing you'll want to cut out two pieces of fabric. I found a beautiful, green, sturdy fabric that was perfect for this project.

Step Three
Sew the fabric together. That is way easier than it sounds. I don't have a sewing machine so I tried to do it by hand. I am ok with a needle and thread, but when it came time to sew around the the circle cut-out, I got stuck.

Maybe if you have more experience you would be able to do this. I just decided to use what I know. So... step three, glue the fabric to cardboard. 

Step Four
Add pockets. I would suggest adding the smaller ones first and then working your way down to the bigger ones. I didn't think mine through and had a hard time added the one for my cell phone (and a little tip, don't put your phone in the pocket to test it until it is dry... your phone might get stuck to the hanger and give you a heart attack). 

Step Five
Add the finishing touches. I choose to wrap jute around the outside edge of mine. I also made a cute little flower to add to it.

This is now working perfectly on my front door. I will never forget to mail that important letter, grocery list, or Metro Pass. You could also make this for your child's room to help them stay organized. The possibilities are endless!

Happy Crafting,
Kristin

PS: I linked up here: