Remember how I mentioned (a few times) that I made an upholstered headboard from cardboard and promised that I would post a tutorial for it and totally never did?
Still not doing it yet.
But here is something else awesome that I made from cardboard (among other things) and I want to show it off.
Have a look at my DIY: Bulletin Board, or "cork board alternative" as I like to call it. So chic, I know.
Still not doing it yet.
But here is something else awesome that I made from cardboard (among other things) and I want to show it off.
Have a look at my DIY: Bulletin Board, or "cork board alternative" as I like to call it. So chic, I know.
Materials
- Cardboard, double thick
- Canvas(es)
- Staple gun with staples
- Fabric of your liking
Method
1. Measure out your canvas(es) and arrange your cardboard to cover the surface of the canvas(es). All of my cardboard was from boxes I had laying around or that I dumpster-dived from my recycling bin and prayed were not covered in some gunk (they weren't -- yay!). My canvas was quite large, so I ended up hacking up and haphazardly taping together different pieces together.
I did two large canvases and so needed two large sheets (or Frankenstein sheets) of cardboard to cover them. My plan was to cover both canvases together to make one large bulletin board. (It worked, der.)
1. Measure out your canvas(es) and arrange your cardboard to cover the surface of the canvas(es). All of my cardboard was from boxes I had laying around or that I dumpster-dived from my recycling bin and prayed were not covered in some gunk (they weren't -- yay!). My canvas was quite large, so I ended up hacking up and haphazardly taping together different pieces together.
I did two large canvases and so needed two large sheets (or Frankenstein sheets) of cardboard to cover them. My plan was to cover both canvases together to make one large bulletin board. (It worked, der.)
** You should always pre-wash and/or iron your fabrics (prewash if the finished product will be washed, ironed to remove wrinkles and folds of course) before use, but I never do. Heh. Don't be me, prewash/iron your fabrics! **
2. Once you have arranged your cardboard to cover your canvas, Take your fabric and lay it out beneath your canvas/cardboard duo. Cut a border around the canvas duo of about 2in or more, depending on the depth of your canvas (and cardboard). I used a great deal excess, around 4in, and could have used much less.
3. Lay your fabric out, right side down. Lay your cardboard on top of the fabric, then your canvas(es) on top of the cardboard. Begin stapling your fabric around the edge of your canvas, pulling the fabric taut as you go along to ensure a smooth surface on the front (or if you are like me, neglect this step and also neglect to iron your fabrics. Yahoo!)
I did the edges first, then went back, carefully folded in, and stapled the corners last.
2. Once you have arranged your cardboard to cover your canvas, Take your fabric and lay it out beneath your canvas/cardboard duo. Cut a border around the canvas duo of about 2in or more, depending on the depth of your canvas (and cardboard). I used a great deal excess, around 4in, and could have used much less.
3. Lay your fabric out, right side down. Lay your cardboard on top of the fabric, then your canvas(es) on top of the cardboard. Begin stapling your fabric around the edge of your canvas, pulling the fabric taut as you go along to ensure a smooth surface on the front (or if you are like me, neglect this step and also neglect to iron your fabrics. Yahoo!)
I did the edges first, then went back, carefully folded in, and stapled the corners last.
4. Flip your masterpiece over, hang it up where you envisioned its beauty, then stab it with something. (I'm darn near poetic, am I not?)
TA-DAH!
TA-DAH!
Below is the wall that I am (slowly) redoing before the majesty of my DIY cardboard bulletin board. It's being bedazzled by a pretty puzzle that I completed a few years ago and hung up in a cheap IKEA frame that was sort of handed down to me. The frame is falling apart and I want something more attractive and functional. In fact, I am thinking of chucking the puzzle back in the box to re-explore that bit of fun another time, as well.
You can see that I took this picture while in the midst of bulletin-board-making-ness. That, by the way, is my fantastic sewing/craft table made up of a solid slab of butcher-block that was converted to a table and then chucked leg-less in the garbage which is sitting atop two large sets of drawers. It makes for a nifty and very sturdy craft station with tons of storage. One of the drawer cabinet things I took the drawers out of and put a makeshift curtain across the front. It lets me sit in front of the desk while sewing and I still have things stored inside as well. Win-win.
Anyways, enough of that.
BEHOLD THE AWESOME!
Anyways, enough of that.
BEHOLD THE AWESOME!
Clearly this picture was taken immediately after completion and before cleaning-up, fabric-smoothing, and dressing up, ha.
I had the canvases laying along for several, several years. I believe I originally bought them from Curry's for like $20 each, but I can't remember.
The fabric I also had laying around in excess (Painter's Dropcloth, which at this point basically makes up 75% of my fabric decor), which originally cost me $16 or something.
Staple gun and staples I already had, and, as explained before, I scavenged the cardboard!
If you're not sure where to get the cardboard, grocery stores are always a safe bet.
Anywho, maybe a mini collage, or a collection of letters to spell something like "C-R-E-A-T-E" or "C-R-A-F-T-Y", or something like that will join this awesomeness eventually. One step at a time!
I had the canvases laying along for several, several years. I believe I originally bought them from Curry's for like $20 each, but I can't remember.
The fabric I also had laying around in excess (Painter's Dropcloth, which at this point basically makes up 75% of my fabric decor), which originally cost me $16 or something.
Staple gun and staples I already had, and, as explained before, I scavenged the cardboard!
If you're not sure where to get the cardboard, grocery stores are always a safe bet.
Anywho, maybe a mini collage, or a collection of letters to spell something like "C-R-E-A-T-E" or "C-R-A-F-T-Y", or something like that will join this awesomeness eventually. One step at a time!