Happy New Year! I have a new year, new you DIY project for this week. Are you sick of hardly ever changing out your pictures in your room because they are all stuck in frames, and it’s so much work? I was, too! This week, I’m showing you how to create the cutest memo board, so all of your fantastic pictures can easily be displayed and changed as often as you like!
Supplies:
First, you are going to have to pick how large a canvas you want to use. If you have a lot of pictures, you’ll want to go with around a 24-by-30 board, but if you prefer a smaller one, you can easily get away with a 16-by-20. It all depends on the shape you would like as well. The fabric is the next most important item you’ll need. I chose a nice light blue shade with a white pattern on it. My main color scheme was light blue, coral, and navy.
Using padding sheets is a lot easier because you can just double up the sheets and place them over top of the canvas. Picking apart the padding also works, but it’s much harder to create a fluffy, even backdrop. If using the sheets, you can cut the fabric to fit over the canvas with a little extra on all sides (this will be stapled to the back). If you want to pick apart the padding, you’ll have to cut the fabric and staple the top and bottom before you begin stuffing it, so it all stays together and where it is supposed to be. You’ll want to pull the fabric pretty tight because it will loosen up a bit and then look saggy if it’s not tight enough.
After the padding is set, you can fold over the fabric on the back to make a nice, clean line, and use a stapler or staple gun to staple the fabric to the wooden frame of the canvas. Be sure to fold the corners in, so you’re not stuck with a lot of extra fabric that sticks out in a funny shape. Now, it’s time for the ribbon. Begin with one piece of ribbon from one corner to the opposite corner. Staple (or sew if you’re really crafty!). Create a crisscrossing pattern until the desired amount of crossing sections are formed. If you have a lot of pictures, you’ll need more crosses, so the pictures can be placed between these intersections and not fall through.
Take your buttons, and place them over each intersection on the fabric. Use your needle and thread to sew from the back to the front by going in one hole and out another a number of times. You want this part to be tight since the buttons basically hold all the ribbon together, which keeps your pictures displayed nicely. Tie a knot at the back, and cut the excess thread to make it look nicer from behind. Now, print out your pictures from New Year’s Eve and all of the resolutions you’ve been working on, so everyone can see how great a start to 2014 you’ve had!
Happy Crafting!
XOXO,The Crafty Gator