Created
and Presented by Deborah Spofford, CCD
Designer and Author for the Creative Industry
The kids are back in school and activities
are in full swing. How do you
keep your household organized and avoid drowning in a sea of papers
and schedules? Here are some
easy and attractive ways to create information centers in your home.
Supplies for the
Two: 10 x 20 dark blue Gemline frames
(choose a style that matches your d้cor)
One:
16 x 20 dark blue Gemline frame
Roll
of cork (The Board Dudes, Inc.)
Small
sheet of metal ducting
(purchase at a home improvement store)
Dry
erase calendar board
(purchase at a discount store)
Two: wooden mail boxes (unfinished )
One:
20 wide decorative wooden shelf
(unfinished)
Metal
screen: 10 x 20
Wood
stain
Delta Ceramcoatฎ Acrylic
paint: Blue storm
Spray
varnish; gloss
Decorative
buttons
Thumb
tacks
Super
glue
Magnets
Miscellaneous
items: Craft glue, tape, ruler, rotary cutter and mat, picture hangers,
paint brush, paper towels, candle, sand paper, tin snips or heavy duty
scissors
Note: Supplies are available at Craft Warehouse
Instructions:
Open and remove the glass and cardboard
from each frame. Save the cardboard
pieces to use as a pattern for cutting the cork, metal and calendar
board.
For the cork board: Cut three pieces of cork 10 x 20 (rotary
cutter works very well to cut the cork). Apply
a thin layer of craft glue to the back of each piece of cork. Stack the cork on top of each other. Place the piece of glass on top of the stack. Place
a heavy book on top of the glass until the glue dries. Insert
the cork into the frame and secure it with tape.
For the magnet board: Cut one piece of metal 10 x 20. Cut one piece of metal screen 10x 20. Insert
the screen, the sheet metal and the glass into the frame. Secure them with tape.
For the calendar board: Remove the plastic frame from the dry erase
calendar board. Cut the board
to fit the 16 x 20 frame. Hint: Use the rotary cutter to cut the board. The
board is thicker than the blade
cut the front side and then turn it over and cut
the back side. Insert the calendar
into the frame and secure it with tape.
For the mail boxes: Paint the boxes with acrylic paint (Blue
Storm). Let dry. Sand the edges of the boxes to remove some
of the paint. Apply wood stain
to the sanded areas. Spray with
gloss varnish.
For the magnets and push pins: Cut the shank off the back of each button. Apply
super glue to
the back of the button and place either a magnet or thumb tack in the glue. Let
dry.
Supplies for
Chalk
board: 11 x 17 (The Board Dudes, Inc.)
Dry-erase
marker board: 11 x 17 (The
Board Dudes, Inc.)
Cork
bulletin board: 11 x 17 (The Board Dudes, Inc.)
Two
wooden trays 10 x 13(unfinished)
Hinges:
three sets
Four
wooden dowels: 3/8 x 4
Four
wooden spools
Delta Ceramcoatฎ acrylic
paint: Boston Fern and Pewter
Decoupage
medium
Ribbon
or ฝ strips of fabric: yards
Miscellaneous
items: Paint brush, craft glue, paper, paper towels, drill, screw driver,
ruler
Instructions:
For the paper tray: Paint the trays green (Boston Fern). Paint the dowels and spools pewter. Let dry. Decoupage
fabric strips around the outside edge and inside perimeter of each
tray. Let dry. Glue the spools
to the bottom outside corners of one tray. Glue
the dowels to the inside corners of the same tray. Let dry. Place
the other tray on top of the dowels and glue in place.
For the bulletin board screen: Measure and pre-drill holes for the hinges. The
hinges will be placed three inches from the top and bottom. Drill
holes for the hinges on both sides of the cork board. Drill holes on the left side of the chalk
board and the right side of the dry erase board. Set hinges aside.
Paint the boards green (Boston Fern)
and let dry. Hint: Slide a piece of paper under the edge of
the frame. This is a quick and
easy way to prevent the paint from getting on the cork, chalk, or dry
erase areas.
Decoupage strips of fabric around the
edges of the boards. Let dry.
Place the hinges on the boards and connect
them together.
