Vintage Memo Boards

Greetings! Fall is here and my craft room is getting cleaned up and ready for use.

My latest project involves a technique I have been waiting to try out for months.

I call it Vintage Memo Board.

I was inspired by one I saw at Home Goods about a month ago. I knew this was the project for my image transfer technique. I used a solvent called CitraSolv. It's a natural cleanser, made from orange peel and coconut-derived biodegradable surfactant. Yea. That's geek speak for COOLIO!

A few pointers:

Don't use a foam cup. It will melt through it. Paper is a close second.

It smells awesome.

Melted the grease right off of the stove hood. SWEET!

Can be purchased online. I paid about $7 at a Henry's/Sprouts, a produce/health food store.

OK....back to the project.

Step 1: Build a frame.

I used a thin sheet of MDF cut to 22 x 24 inches. Found at Home Depot, about $4.89 a sheet, makes 2 panels.

Cut 2 pieces of 1 x 2 x 8 foot pine to go around the inner edges of the MDF. Home Depot price $2.88 each.

Cut and nail the frame to the back side. I used our handy dandy Porter Cable brad nailer.

Super loud, but OH so efficient!

Step 2: Create the fabric.

Cut a piece of fabric that is larger that your board. I made sure mine was at least 2 inches overhang on each side. I used Osnaberg, an inexpensive, woven fabric. Prewash to shrink and press smooth.

Step 3: Create Images.

I chose 10-12 of my favorite black and white images from the Graphic Fairy. She has some lovely images. Just download and save.

Now...here is the tricky part. The images have to be printed by some ancient copy machine. Your home computer won't do, the one at work didn't work, neither did Staples.

Finally, that junky copy machine at the grocery store, next to the Lotto ticket, was the winner.

So, good luck finding the winning copier. I would also try the unfancy one at the city library.

Place the image on your fabric.

Use a small sponge and rub it over the image, getting it wet.

Then use a spoon to burnish the image onto the fabric.

Badda bing! Image transferred.

The fabric takes about 15 minutes to dry. I popped mine in the dryer, then starched

and pressed it.

Step 4: Attach the fabrics

Cut a layer of batting and place it on top of the board. Trim to meet edges.

Stretch the fabric around the edges and staple on the backside.

Step 5: Create the String Pattern

Mark off increments of 4-6 inches on the sides of the boards. That is where you will attach the jute. Create a diamond pattern with jute. This was tricky. But your eye will tell you if it doesn't look right. Then....there is always a ruler to confirm.

Staple in on the back side of the frame.

Hammer an upholstery nail where the jute crossed. I had to bend the nails over on the back so they didn't pull out.

Step 6: Add a frame hook and hang.

Before: BOOOOO!

After: YAAAAYYYY!

So pretty, I don't even want to hang things on it!

I would not suggest washing the fabric after transferring the image. It fade dramatically.

This technique is would be terrific for pillows too!

Enjoy!

For another tutorial on CitraSolv.