Bulletin Board

I have been wanting a bulletin board for above my desk. My desk is located in my dining room so I need the bulletin board to fit into my decor.  I love the weathered old look.  I have been looking at bulletin boards with nice frames and they are too expensive for me.  I found one that I really like and it was $56 and then I found one I could settle for and it was $45.  Still too much.  So I started looking for frames and I actually found a frame at a thrift store and bought it for $2. It measures 21 1/2 inches wide by 18 1/4 inches high.   It was a really ugly golden color with a hand made print in it and the frame was covered with nasty glitter.  I tried to sand it but the glitter would not come off.  So I just painted over it.  I used wicker white craft paint and it took a couple of coats.  Then I took sand paper to it and sanded it to give it the weathered look.  It still did not quite do it for me.  So I took some black paint and poured a little into a bowl and then added water to it.  Mixy mixy and then using a wet paper towel applied it to the frame a little at a time.  Before the paint had time to dry I used another wet paper towel and wiped off all the excess paint.  The black paint kind of settled into the grooves making the frame look old and weathered.  When it dried I added a ribbon to the frame to hang some things.  I colored with my Stampin' Up! markers some mini clothes pins to use with the ribbon.  I took out the backing on the frame and glued some cork to it that I bought from Hobby Lobby. (I had looked at several places and found Hobby Lobby the least expensive and was able to use a coupon as well.)  I bought some cork in a roll from them for about $2.5 per linear foot.  (1 foot by 2 feet wide)  I used wood glue and placed books to weigh it down while it dried over night.  Then I put it all together and hung it up.  It looks pretty much like I wanted it to look.  I added a paper butterfly and flower to decorate the ribbon. ( I will tell you how I made them in another post) I really wanted to add a ribbon to the top like it was hanging from the ribbon.  But I have not found a knob that I like to hang it from.  So for now it is complete.  It cost less than $10, paint and all.  What a deal!  and I love it.