Entering the Crafting World

As John will attest, I am a huge fan of the Google Reader.  One site where I can quickly view and organize all the news, adventures of Sharkey and Franny, crafts, and, eh hem, wedding blogs I can read?  Sign me up!   And, yes, I proudly follow a blog "written" by two French Bulldogs.

It's probably from living in a beige shoebox, but I love the wonderfully creative and inspirational craft and design blogs out there.  I can get lost in the transformations of rundown thrift store finds.  Due to the temporary nature of my beige shoebox, my outlets for craftiness are quite limited.  But after running across Centsational Girl's jewelry holder, inspiration struck!  Using a few things I previously purchased on clearance and a handy Michael's coupon, I created a dry erase board and a cork board to hang in the pantry.

Supply List and Cost Breakdown

Matching 10x10 frames, Michael's, $5.50 each

Spray paint in French Blue, Michael's, for $3

12x12 cork board tile, Target, on clearance for $1.75 for 4

Sheet of scrapbook paper, Michael's, on clearance for 19 cents

Push pins, dry erase markers and eraser

 

The whole process was super easy, even for a first-timer like me.  After removing the glass and backs of the frames, I spray painted all of the edges.  I ended up doing about 2.5 coats of paint because I kept seeing spots that didn't have even coverage.  I did okay with the spray painting, but I needed to use thinner, more even coats to prevent dripage.  

While the frames were drying, I cut the cork board and the scrapbook paper down to the correct size using the frames' sunflower picture as a guide.  After about 45 minutes of drying, I popped the cork board in one of the frames and the glass and scrapbook paper in the other before closing both with their original backs.  Finally, using a couple of Command hooks (amazing invention!), I stuck them on the back of the pantry door to serve as a catchall for grocery lists and random recipes (and pictures of dogs).

I'm really happy with how this little project turned out.  At some point, I might get a more subtle piece of paper for the dry erase board, but it doesn't bother me now and it's easy to read what's written. The boards are cute and functional, and I think they are versatile enough to fit in many kitchens or offices.