Friday 13 January 2012

Make your own canvas memory board

We often seem to acquire lots of random pieces and slips of paper that seem to litter either the computer desk or the coffee table. Most of these bits are coupons or tickets that would be better being kept somewhere separate so I've been meaning to create a memory board to keep them together. I wanted to create something visually pleasing and decorative rather then buying a cork pin board and have it for organisation as well as providing a space for the odd photograph of us or ticket from an outing and so on. As you can see from my list of items below this can be a really cheap project, I brought all my items from Jo Ann [they seem to be the best for price and offers], it could be an even cheaper project if you wanted to use old buttons or fabric remnants and the choice of canvas is entirely up to you. If your under 16 make sure your under adult supervision as well as using your common sense because some of the equipment we're using gets very hot.

What I used -
  • Ribbon $2.99
  • Fat quarter of fabric $1.29
  • Mixture of black and white buttons $1 per strip
  • 12 x 16" art canvas $5.99 
  • Glue gun [you could use a staple gun if you have one] 
  • Scissors 
  • Iron
Total cost: $12.27 before tax [£7.96]

Firstly if you need to, give your fabric a quick iron, merely to ease out any ceases and to make sure what your working with is nice and flat.

Cut your fabric to size by measuring at least a two inch allowance around all sides of the canvas so you have plenty of material to work with on the reverse.

Working with your fabric underneath your canvas and with one edge at a time, work carefully with the glue gun *remember glue guns get really warm* or if you have one, use a staple gun. Then glue [or staple] along the edge but leave the corners unglued for now. Stretch and hold the fabric in place until it's firmly glued. Then do the same on the other sides working from one side then it's opposite.

After leaving the corners of your fabric till last carefully fold the material until you get a nice smooth and tidy edge as if you were wrapping a present. Glue the material in place then flip your canvas over.

Next it's time to attach your ribbons which work to keep what your adding onto your board in place, so they need to be fairy tight when your gluing them. Firstly work diagonally from corner to corner, gluing firmly at each edge on the reverse of the canvas. Then add more ribbons from the middle of the canvas diagonally across so you create diamonds.
 
Using the glue gun again, glue the two ribbons where they cross, first to the fabric directly underneath, then to each other. Finish off by gluing the reverse of a complimentary coloured button and sticking it over the top of the adjoining ribbons.

Then your finished - you can make and attach ribbons from the reverse of the canvas to make a hanger for hanging your board if you want, then add whatever you fancy to your board.

37 comments:

  1. That looks really good.. You could make them and sell them on your blog xx

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  2. That actually could be a good working idea!

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  3. love this. i just remade an old photo board. just need to put ribbons on it.
    thanks for the inspiration and the reminder.

    xoxo

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  4. WOW! This is an amazing idea :) Plus it looks as if it was brought, not home made! Definitely would try this out in the future!

    xoxo

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  5. That's a brilliant tutorial - how's it going with the invite to write for that (Chicago?) magazine; it sounded like a great opening for your writing? x

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    1. Oh for the Michigan magazine that got linked the other day? I haven't really thought about it yet to be honest, trying to focus on my visa forms and I never really know what kind of thing they might want. I should investigate it this next week though, thank you for reminding me!

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  6. That is absolutely gorgeous! Ha, I just did a cork board and was proud of it! But this is so pretty - actually this might be a great idea to display some of my wedding pictures because I could use all the ribbon I have left over... Thank you for this great idea! :-) x

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    1. I could totally see that working really well!

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  7. Ooh, such a great DIY project, I've been wanting to get my hands on something like this for a while, will definitely be giving it a go :) xx

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    1. It was really fun to make and a lot cheaper then all the ones in the store which started at over double the price of all the materials.

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  8. Um ok this tutorial is amazing!! I'm so doing this tomorrow. Or maybe today if I can get my butt to the fabric store. ha thanks for the awesome tutorial. Seriously I am so pumped about this.

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    1. Your welcome, hope you get to make one too!

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  9. This is such a great idea, wish I had seen this before I went out and got a cork board! If you sold them I would buy them! X

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    1. You could always recover your cork board, that was the other option to use other then a canvas, I think it would work just as well!

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  10. this is such a great idea and the one you've made looks so professional and pretty!

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  11. Very cute! I have a fabric covered canvas that has my necklaces hanging off it.

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  12. Love this project, I've been meaning to reface the one I have in my office with a fabric I love. Thank you for sharing!

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  13. Lovely fabric and good tutorial! Might give
    this a go!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  14. I LOVE that. And it looks super easy to make!

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    1. Yeah it really is rather easy, it gets a bit fiddly with the corners and gluing them down but yeah, worth doing it right.

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  15. what a great idea, thank you so much for sharing x

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  16. What a brilliant idea! :) I end up throwing a lot of things in a drawer which means they'e crumpled up and ruined before long... I'll definitely be trying this ~ Thanks! :) x

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    1. Yeah that's one of the reasons why I wanted to make something like this, we get so many coupons and things that they just end up being lost in my bag or in a heap on the coffee table and at least now we can see what we have.

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  17. I love this, might need to make myself one.
    I've only ever made cork boards, never thought about canvas

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  18. This looks great:) I keep looking at these style of boards in shops but think I might have to give it a go making one myself! x

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    1. Yeah I saw the price they were charging for ones in the shops and totally thought I could make one a lot cheaper ... and more personalised!

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  19. Just done this at home and come out a treat, i used a big peice of canvas form a scrapstore for £2 it look so great!x

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  20. aww that looks gorgeous :)
    I am going to attempt to make one too
    xxx

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  21. I need one of these in my life. i also need time to make one. haha.
    ♥ laura
    the blog of worldly delights

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  22. This is right up my street! Fantastic and very creative!

    Follow back? <3

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  23. this is such a good idea! I may have to have a go myself :)

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  24. i always love these! looks great!
    xo TJ

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  25. The contrast in the colours is wonderful - the lilic background, with the richer purple ribbons. You certainly have an eye for it!

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