A Simple Bulletin Board

I had accumulated a stack of little things in my room that I wished to hang up.  Cork bulletin boards are expensive and all the DIY projects on Pinterest were too cutesy or required materials I didn't have.

When I stumbled across this tutorial for a bulletin board made of cardboard, I got up immediately from the computer, went to the basement and grabbed a cardboard box.

This was easy.  I didn't buy a single thing and I only asked my husband one question.  I was going to drill holes through the layers to hang the thing up, but he thought that might twist and pull the fabric, so he recommended the awl on his Swiss army knife.  Easy.  Done.

Supplies I used:

2 pieces of mostly straight cardboard, cut out of a big box with a utility knife
big piece of plain canvas fabric + scissors
duct tape
spray adhesive + pumice stone
2 toggle buttons
long ribbon + awl
nail + hammer

The pumice is necessary to get any spray adhesive off your fingers.  I used Elmer's like I did when I covered the coffee can and it's supposed to clean up with soap and water, but 5 handwashings later, I used the pumice for perfectly clean fingers.  Now I know!

And now the board is entirely covered with my children's papers.  I wish it was, you know, cool and stylish, but my heart is warm and proud from their love.  Too soon they will be out of the nest and I will hope wistfully for loveletters from grandchildren.

Bonus:  I snapped some more photos of my room.

A trash-picked frame around the daisy clock.

The clean surface where the pile of children's papers used to be.  Ahhhhh.