Say goodbye to your old trusty EXPO dry erase board that's been sitting in your kitchen since '95. Well, don't really pitch it if you do have one. You can still use it. :) Feel like making a new one to use somewhere else in your home? If you're anything like me (and I'm truly sorry if you are... haha!), you like to write down each and every little thing that comes to mind. I find that instead of leaving sticky notes all around or tiny pieces of paper that can become rather annoying very quickly, I prefer to use dry erase boards or even chalkboards. That way, I can keep track of how many ounces my baby is drinking... or when she took her last nap... or how many days until my husband's ship pulls in... etc., etc., etc., all jotted down in a neat area for me to erase and rewrite at leisure. :)
... But of course, an ordinary dry erase board just couldn't be good enough when I'm constantly thinking of ways to be more "craftastic," right?
All that is required for this project is a picture frame, your choice of paper to use as the background, and any embellishments you may want to include. That's it! Well, of course you'll need a nice set of dry erase makers and an eraser if you don't already have those things. But the rest is all up to you! (Optional- You can use Command Strips to stick this to the wall, or otherwise just mount it however you always hang your frames!)
I picked up my frame at the dollar store, and it worked great!! Be sure to get one with a glass pane, though. Plastic is iffy when it comes to using over and over again. Different types can also be porous, so those wouldn't work. Glass is best. Also, be sure there aren't any scratches on the surface. Really, you can use any old frame you have laying around, but if you're looking to buy one and plan on embellishing it yourself, dollar stores have a great CHEAP selection! :)
This project is so versatile, and that's why I like it so much! You can do whatever your heart desires. If you have scraps of paper just lying around, maybe this is your opportunity to put them to good use. I know I did. All you really have to do is cut everything to the size of your frame, tape, glue, whatever!! I kept mine pretty simple on the inside so it didn't completely clash with the decor of my living room. I just sorted through my stash of craft supplies, took out what I wanted, and went to town.
For my frame, I cut the stem off of a fake flower (on sale now at Michael's for $1.00... Hurry! Sale ends Saturday! haha), and I hot glued it on to the corner of the frame. I actually went ahead and painted some white polka dots on my frame, too. I also found some small paper flowers that I used on the top and glued a button to the center of those. Aaaand finally, I sorted out some Scrabble tiles I purchased a while back for some crafts, then spelled out my last name and glued those on, too. You can go as crazy as you want with this...
If I can make a suggestion, though. Sometimes I get carried away when I'm scrapping things together, and when I take a step back and look at the final product, I think, "Holy cow! Too much! Waaaay too much!" Don't do "too much" on the inside of your frame. Keep in mind that the whole point of this is to be able to write things on the surface of the glass. Ask yourself, "Will I be able to clearly see what I've written down?" If you think, Ehhh probably! then simplify cause the answer is really "probably not!" Best to stick with very light colors.
Also, if you really want to keep this simple, you can print a blank calendar from your computer to stick in the frame, or print out a "chore chart" for your husban.... ahem, I mean, children.
I have a ton of ideas going through my head right now, so maybe soon I'll post some pictures of my ideas on our Facebook page. But I have an even better idea- If you make this project (or any of the previous crafts), why don't YOU share with US your photos on our Facebook page, too? Believe me, we'd LOOOOOVE to see what you've come up with.
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