More on the "Inspiration Board"...

To elaborate on the earlier post;
What was just a frame I'd taken a fancy to at Ikea, that ended up sitting in a corner between moves, turned into a fun project.

Virtually any fancy frame can be turned into a great collage/idea board for a craft or sewing area. It also ends up being functional wall art.

Thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets and antique shops can yield a bounty of gorgeous art and picture frames, often at a low price.

Mine came with glass when I bought it new. I didn't have a use for it, so I gave it to a friend that needed an oval cut of glass.
I considered using cork sheeting for the center, against the heavy cardboard it came with. I discovered cork is pricey, and either came in sheets to small, or way more than I needed.
Instead, I opted for poster board, the kind with the foam core, just over 1/8 of an inch thick.
This is a great option, because not only is it much more affordable, it comes in colors! I opted for a slate grey print that almost resembles granite, but I was tempted to buy some in pink, or Tiffany blue...and I may at a later date ;-)
I also found some old fashioned map tacs to use to pin my ideas to said board.


Using the cardboard back that came with the frame, I traced out the shape on my poster board with a pencil, then carefully cut it out (on a cutting mat!) with an exacto knife.
If your frame has no backing board, or nesting groove (where the art and/or glass sits) you can trace, measure the inside size of the frame, and add about 1/2 inch to all sides.
You'll also want to cut a piece of heavy duty cardboard for a backing to the exterior surface you'll be tacking things to.

My frame has little metal tabs that can be bent up and down to hold these in place.
If your frame doesn't have these, they can be purchased at a frame shop or art supply store. They are usually nailed in with a few taps from a hammer.
If your frame isn't wood, and has no options for these tabs, duct tape is your friend ;-)
Same goes for hanging your frame on the wall; most frames have a little spot or a metal hook so it can hang from a nail in the wall, but if not, you can also buy this hardware at the above mentioned sources.

All in all, it's pretty easy.
If you live in an older house with plaster walls, the lighter the frame the better. Or, invest in a stud finder so you can anchor a nail into your wall securely.
The last thing you want is to have your pretty frame, with the lovely collage you worked so diligently on come crashing down, leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

Another option besides using tacks; Ribbons.
You can take narrow ribbon, up to 1/4 inch wide, and run them across the board surface, tacking them with tape in back, to make a diamond pattern.
This way, you can tuck your found images and fabric swatches between the ribbon and board, for a pretty effect.
This is a great tutorial over at 7 Layer Studio, with photos (!), that I sadly do not have of my own board's progress.
Enjoy ;-)
xoxo