goodwill strikes again

I feel like whenever you move there are a lot of systems in place that you take for granted.  In our Virginia house we had a traditional refrigerator and used magnets to hold our family calendar, birthday party invites, and photos on display.  Once we moved in here and got our new {much beloved} stainless steel fridge it occurred to me that I had no place to hang my essential calendar.

Hmm...what to do?

Of course I considered getting a cork board, but the thought of marring our nice walls with a college dorm room style cork slab was unthinkable.  I searched Etsy for a pretty alternative and they had a lot to offer.  For about $200!  Yikes!  That wasn't happening either.

After the huge success of the Instagram frame creation Drew and I started scanning Goodwill for a second frame in desperate need of some TLC.  Could lightning strike twice?

Of course!  People give these lovely frames away and have no idea how excited I am to take advantage.  :-)

At the same Goodwill I also found a traditional, basic framed cork board that Drew cut to fit the size of our new frame.  Drew did all of the work on this project, so I didn't take any photos until the end.  If you want to make your own, the steps are super simple.

1 /  find an ugly frame, remove the backing + picture + glass

2 /  prime the frame with spray primer

3 /  paint the frame with spray paint in whatever color you love

4 /  cut your cork board to the shape and size of your frame

5 /  buy some gorgeous fabric to cover the ugly cork-iness, pull fabric taut and staple to the back of the cork board backing

6 /  put your covered cork board in the frame and secure with staples or picture clips

7 /  hang and admire your handiwork.  :-)

I love, love how it turned out.  Very functional and beautiful.

Total cost:

1 yd of fabric at Jo-Anns with 50% coupon - $5
cork board - $8.99
frame - $6.99

We already had the hanging clips and spray paint, so that was it.  Just $21!

My love for Goodwill continues to grow.  I actually found a really big cabinet in one yesterday I'm considering getting to repaint for Ladybug's nursery.  Has anyone ever repainted stained, large wood furniture before?  I'm intimidated - send your tips, please!  :-)