DIY Message Board

DIY Message Board

It took me forever to take and edit pictures for this project, I couldn’t get the lighting the way I wanted. I changed the camera settings, used different lighting options, had my daughter sand on a chair with her arms over head holding tinfoil covered cardboard, I even sent my husband to get new bulbs for my lighting! I like the way the project turned out, I’m just not that happy with the pictures. They don’t do it justice, it looks much better in person. So you will have to take my word for it! 😉

When we bought our house in 2008, everything in the house needed to be updated. I gave everything a coat of paint when we first moved it, then slowly went from room to room adding the finishing touches. I’m not sure I will ever be done, I like changing things up!  For this project I started with this door, this is how it looked in 2008.

DIY Message Board

This door is in our kitchen and leads to the back entryway, which is our main entrance. We never close this door unless there are small children in the house. It was the perfect spot for grocery lists and school notes etc. I had my hubby, attach a cork message board to the door. He predrilled holes in the frame of the message board then used small wood screws to attach it to the door. I then gave the whole thing a coat of primer and two coats of door and trim paint and put on a new door handle.

DIY Message Board

Great idea right?

 Not really, I painted it and then never used it. The idea was good in theory, it just didn’t function well for our family. If you are anything like me, there is never paper or a pen around when you need it. When I did find paper and a pen to make a list it would just get left where it was, some times never to be found again. For me things need to have a dedicated function or purpose, (this didn’t) and doesn’t hurt if it’s pretty too!

So I gave it some pretty and function. I taped the out side frame off and used chalk to draw a grid on the cork part of the board. I used this post from Fresh Home Ideas as reference to create the chevron pattern, however the site doesn’t seem to be working any more 🙁  I thought I would try and explain how to create a chevron pattern, however I’m almost curtain I would have just confused you all instead! Ha-ha.  After taping out the pattern, I painted the parts I wanted grey with some primer. I only used the primer because I had originally used an oil based paint on the door, and the grey paint I wanted to use was latex.

DIY Message Board

Two coats of the gray paint, when it was dry I carefully peeled the tape off.

DIY Message Board

I had an old picture frame laying around and a locker pen holder from the dollar store. I primed and spray painted them both.

DIY Message Board

DIY Message Board

I used two small clip boards from Staples, and modge podged scrap book paper to the front to add color and interest. To attach the frame, pen holder and clip boards to the message board I used 3M command strips. Inside the frame was the perfect spot for my monthly calendar or meal planer. The clip boards hold the weekly to do and grocery list. A few pens, scissors and push pins, so everything is where you need it.

DIY Message Board

DIY Message Board

DIY Message Board

DIY Message Board

The calendar printable is from World Label , they have some really great free printables for the home.

The shopping and to do lists are from a printable planner I found online years ago, I can not for the life of me remember the name of the site. If any one recognizes it let me know, so I can give them credit.

Do you have a spot for lists that works?

I'd love to hear from You!