My name is Jena, and I've been nick-named the Vista Print Goddess.
Feel free to email me through the contact form on the home page.
Christmas gifts, 2014: DIY Fabric Covered Magnet Boards!
We have two nieces, ages 7 and 8. They're both spoiled rotten by the extended families (rightfully so!), and Auntie Jena tries to find things that will be useful, and something no one else will get them. Which usually results in me making something. This year both girls are in the middle of room makeovers, so I thought this would be a super cool addition to their new rooms, and something that can truly grow with them over the years.
I started with two thrift store frames, they were each approximately 22" by 30". I paid $5 for each frame.
I started with two thrift store frames, they were each approximately 22" by 30". I paid $5 for each frame.
Then I bought galvanized metal sheet from the Home Depot, $10 each - they're 24" x 36" so I had to cut them down. I just used crappy old kitchen shears. But be CAREFUL, the cut edges are super sharp. I edged the whole thing in masking tape to make them a bit safer to handle. I used electrical tape on a different project (same sheet metal), and liked that better (it felt sturdier/safer to handle).
I used purple spray paint to recolor the frames. Home Depot has a really poor selection. BUT, a week after I finished the project, I found out JoAnn's carries little half-sized cans of spray paint, in a ton of colors. Boy was I mad. Because now I have a huge (normal) can of purple that I don't really like.
Each frame came with the print, a cardboard backer, and glass. I brought the glass to the local recycling place. I used E6000 to glue the sheet metal to the cardboard backer to give it stability. I thought I had spray adhesive at home, which is what I planned on using. I refused to go back out and buy it. I was in jammies and was not about to leave the house! I ended up using plain Elmer's glue to attach the fabric (which I ironed first) to the metal. You can see the glue lines in the picture below. :\
Finally, I used hot glue to secure the glued together piece into the back of the frame. I do love the overall finished piece. I had a cork board in my teens that I used into my early 20s. And the magnet board has the bonus that the things put on it won't have tack holes! Total cost, less than $20/each.
Something I might do differently: I don't know that I'd use a patterned fabric again. It was a nightmare trying to keep the pattern straight.
Something I might do differently: I don't know that I'd use a patterned fabric again. It was a nightmare trying to keep the pattern straight.