Bulletin Board

My little niece is having a birthday party.  Thank goodness for the advance notice, because I really enjoy making gifts.  I like to test my creativity.  So here is what I came up with for her 5th birthday.  Actually, this project I saw at my favourite store (Homesense), and I thought, "that is a cute idea, I bet I could make it for less".  So this is the version I came up with.

I started with a cork board that I found at the thrift store, along with this picture frame.  It's funny because the lady I was paying at the till was going on about how soothing a lighthouse can make you feel (which is the picture in the frame).  Well, she was rambling on, and on, so I stepped in and gently (so I wouldn't crush her feelings) and told I just wanted it for the frame.  She just said, "Oh, well that's nice too!"  So does she really like lighthouses, or was she just making polite conversation, or does she just want to get rid of the thing altogether so she's making it sound better than it is...?  Anyways, I bought it.

When I got them home (sorry for the bad lighting, but I did it at night) I ripped out the picture from the frame (Anyone want a lighthouse?), and broke the frame off the cork board.

I measured the inside of the frame.

And cut it using a utility knife.   I cut the backside, and the front, so that I wouldn't ruin the cork.

After I had the cork board the size I wanted I got this stamp from the dollar store that I liked the pattern of, and I used a paintbrush to put it on the board.

I didn't blot it because it hardly left a mark on the board when I did try to blot it.

I just used whatever pattern to put it on the board.  I wanted the cork to be predominant, so  I scattered the stamp in an orderly way.

After that, I primed and then painted the frame for the board a aqua blue that I had leftover from the project here.

Now... onto make the pins for the board:

I bought these hair elastics at the dollar store.  I thought they would add just the right amount of glam to the board.

I used pliers to pop the backing off the jewel.

And thank goodness, I have finally located my glue gun.  I found it in my bathroom drawer of all places!!  I glued the jewel onto a thumb tack.

Okay, the reveal:

Stamp, jewel, picture... perfect!  Although I am not giving her the picture.  This one is my daughter, I put it here to show you what it could look like with a photo, or you can use it for artwork.

Cute.  So the one I saw at Homesense was just as good as this one, and it didn't come with pins.  It was $19.99.

Let's compare costs:

Cork board: $2.49

Picture Frame:  $4.99

Stamp:  $1.00

Pins: $1.00

Primer and paint colour:  Already had on hand.

Total:  $9.48

I win!

The good thing about my niece being little still, is I can get away with giving her things to decorate her room (which did I mention is a blue theme) because everyone else will probably be getting her toys!

I am linking up to the parties on my sidebar.