#WIP - #DIY Decorated Clipboards

If you've read a little bit here, you may have picked up that in some ways, I'm still an old-school paper type of gal.  You know, with the paper planner and all.  So, I still find I need to write stuff down on real paper and I hold it all together on a  good old-fashioned clipboard.  In my organization meetings, for swim meets, counting Girl Scout cookies, kids doodling in the car - I still have a handful of clipboards scattered about the house.  But they're that dull, chipboard, industrial brown.  Boring.

But I've got a couple shelves full of scrapbooking and crafting supplies!  Modge podge, paper, doo-dads - meet plain brown clipboard.

• Any area that's not going to be covered in paper, paint with basic craft paint.
• Cover the rest of the clipboard with ModgePodge.  It's okay if it mixes in with the glue.  Lay the paper on top and smooth it out.  Rub out any bubbles and wrinkles.
• Add any other embellishments you have - flowers, buttons, stickers, letters, ribbons, pictures.
• If you want a little more shine, or if you might be using this poolside, you can go over the paper with a coat or 2 or 3 of ModgePodge.  (Don't ModgePodge the 3-D stuff, like my flowers.)

Ta-da!  It's such an easy project and you can't mess it up!  You can even do it with a margarita in hand - what else can you ask for?

You can be fancy and make our clipboard functional, too:

• Print kids' chores and to-do lists, affix the paper to the board
• Include pictures of your goals, encouraging words - it's a portable vision board!
• Use the clipboard for your daily to-do and grocery list

Enjoy!

Join the conversation on Facebook: Just Piddlin' with Frances

Shadow Boxes are My New Scrapbooks

Once upon a time, I scrapbooked everything.  Pictures, tickets, school work, hospital bracelets. All the paraphernalia that came with life's events, big and small. And then suddenly - poof! - my time to select papers and buttons and stickers disappeared. Yet all the stuff of memories remained. And piled up. And I kept saying, "I'm gonna get back to scrapbooking."

In the meantime, I've found another solution, at least for some of the stuff.  I'm putting the physical remembrances from our events in shadowboxes.  It's easy, it makes a nice display in any room, and you can add to it. No glue or stickers required, unless you really want to add all that extra.

Shadowboxes come in different sizes and configurations.  Most have a picture mat inside so you can include a picture on the back "wall" and then put the associated stuff in front.  I picked these up at Michael's craft store (on sale!)

What can you put in a shadowbox? Anything from any important or memorable event.  You can be real extra fancy and add embellishments and doo-dads around the frame, if you'd like.  I might get to that, eventually.

Swimming ribbons. This box has a slot on top so more can be added easily.

Sorority Box. Conference nametag, event tickets, committee badges. I'm going to put in my membership cards, too.

Ticket box. Movies, Broadway, concerts.  A tennis tournament.  A Metro ticket from Obama's inauguration. Dinner menu from our anniversary celebration

New baby? Consider a baby picture with memories from those first fleeting weeks - hospital band and bassinet nametag, a picture with the grandparents, a silver rattle or first pair of socks.

School?  Along with a picture from the first day of school, add a school nametag, pencils, an art project. For the graduate, include a picture from Kindergarten and their senior photo, the tassle from their cap.

Sports?  Post a team photo and winning ribbons and awards. Add goggles for your swimmer or pretty ribbons for cheerleaders or gymnasts.

Vacation?  Include your favorite photo and memorabilia - seashells, postcards, matchbooks, tickets, brochures.

And - I had a brainstorm while working on this post - these would make really cute gifts! How about a picture of the mom-to-be and let guests fill it with notes or giftcards? She could use it for the baby's things (see above) in a few months.  Or for the high school grad heading off to college - fill it with cash and giftcards.  For the birthday boy or girl - include a photo and some of their favorite things.

Be creative and share any ideas you have in the comments below.

Join the conversation on Facebook: Just Piddlin' with Frances