Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Make A Fabric Covered Bulletin Board

It’s time for a board meeting guys. Nothing official, just an actual meeting of cork boards, like so:

Cork Board2

Let’s back up. I had this random idea that a hidden bulletin board in my closet would be a fun place to tack up a bunch of pages I’ve torn out of magazines. You know, cute outfits, haircuts, and other various tips/reminders that I rip out (like how to check my freckles for signs of skin cancer – yes I actually do that). That way, instead of shoving them somewhere like a drawer or letting them pile up on my desk, I can see them all at a glance… with the push of a few hangers.

See what I mean?

Cork Board0

When I push my clothes to the side there’s a nice big swatch of unused wall space on my side of the closet. And that way my lady mag cuttings won’t be all up in John’s face (or anyone else’s really) except for mine – when I want to see them. And if I don’t I can just leave my hangers in their normal position and my incognito board is… incognito.

So to make a little fabric covered cork bulletin board, I grabbed two $6 packs of cork from Target (for a total of eight squares, but I only used six so I think I’ll use the other two to make cork flooring for Clara’s someday dollhouse – haha). Oh and I had leftover fabric (called Khanjali Peacock by Robert Allen) from making the curtains in the dining room and upholstering the chairs in the office (originally snagged on clearance for $12 a yard from a local fabric outlet called U-Fab). So I opted to use that already-owned fabric to dress up my cork.

Cork Board 1

That makes the total cost of this project $12 for the cork (since I already had the fabric), but it might run you $15-$25 to make a board this big if you don’t have fabric on hand and have to buy some. A smaller board with just four squares will only run you six bucks for the cork though, so that’s another option.

Anyway, back to the meeting of boards. I just lined up six of them like this and used duct tape to connect them (the cork is exactly the same on both sides, so just use whatever side that you tape together as the back).

Cork Board3

Then I added a little more duct tape to reinforce it (since thin sheets of cork are pretty floppy).

Cork Board4

Then I cut a piece of fabric that was about 2″ larger (on all sides) than the 36 x 24″ cork rectangle that I had made.

Cork Board5.5

And I pulled them around the back and used duct tape to secure them nice and tight.

Cork Board5

Oh and before I cut my remnant I paid attention to the pattern so it would look nice and centered. Here she is from the front after her nip and tuck:

Cork Board7

And here she is after I used six small nails to tap the four corners (and the top middle and bottom middle) right into the wall to secure it. This way I can just remove the nails to free up my board if I ever want to remove it to repaint the closet for example – or want to hang it somewhere else someday.

Cork Board8

Then I started pinning things up. First I pinned some notes/reminders I took about three years ago from a book called Gorgeously Green (love that book). And an article about how-to-alleviate-allergies from Real Simple (this pollen is trying to kill me). And a skin cancer checklist thing from Glamour magazine to keep me from being neurotic and thinking every last freckle is bad news. What? I was burned a lot as a kid. And you know $herdog rocks the pasty white limbs (evidenced here and here).

Cork Board9

Then it was time for the fun stuff: People/bags/coats/hair that I like (you know, to help me combat the dreaded Mom Slump that I most definitely have fallen into).

Cork Board10

It was about this moment that I realized that patterned fabric + a junkload of stuff pinned at random = chaos. So if you’re more of a less-is-more person, using a more subtle fabric (like tan burlap or linen) or even leaving the cork boards naked might be more your speed. But oddly enough, I love it. Imperfectly cluttered and all. Maybe because I used to make crazy-busy magazine collages as a kid? And it’s especially convenient in the back of my closet because I can just slide my hangers into their normal positions and hide it all away from view.

So what did I do? I piled even more on there. Haha.

Cork Board11

It might not always be this paper-riddled and crazy down the line (I have vague plans to remove some things once I try the hairstyle or buy the item that inspired me to rip it out). But it’s so much fun to stare at that I’m having a hard time leaving my closet.

Cork Board12

So you’ll be comforted to know that I’m not any more fabulous or well coiffed, but I spent the better part of last night hanging out in a 5 x 6 space with lots of people who are. And the good times were rolling.

Whenever I feel bad for subjecting John to my Lady-Business Board, I just slide those hangers closed and it looks like this:

Cork Board13

I think it takes me back to grade school when I had a poster of Joey Mcintyre (yes, of New Kids On The Block fame) hidden in the back of my closet so I could go in there and sigh at him. Which I did every day after school. At length.

*slides hangers back to unveil Joey poster* Oh Joey. *sighs, slides hangers back to hide Joey poster, wistfully leaves closet*

Anyone else hiding things behind other things? Or tearing out haircuts and clothing far more fabulous than your own (sometimes pretty things are just fun to look at). Or embracing a little controlled chaos? Sure my $12 pinboard was pretty without all that stuff on it, but seeing all of my tear sheets hanging out together in front of it makes me nerd out.

Psst- Check out another pinboard project involving cork squares here.

Comments

  1. jennT says

    nice. reminds me of the back of my bedroom door when I was a kid–I had ten bazillion pictures of kate moss taped there. she and I share the same birthday so I thought surely I’d grow up to be exactly the same. I’m rather proud it didn’t go that way! :)

    very sweet of you to hide the girly clutter from the man. I hope he appreskeates it!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s so funny. I was obsessed with a model named Trish Goff. She still models I think. She was like a magical princess fairy lady to me back then. Still kind of is. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  2. Eileen says

    OMG, I had a NKOTB shrine in my closet too!! Joey was my favorite and I used to read their fact book and then make my dad quiz me. Pretty sure he didn’t need to know their favorite flavor of ice cream or what shoe size they were. :-P

    Reply

  3. Karen F says

    Cool idea! I’m a little older than you, so for me it was Duran Duran posters all over my room (I wasn’t shy about my obession)…

    I was just thinking how fun it would be to shop at Target with you, then I remembered those “window shopping” posts you used to do – now that your house isn’t swarming with people and book projects, I think you’re due for another one! Take us (virtual) shopping with you! :)

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      Same here for Duran Duran…my mother was NOT pleased that I covered the very expensive wallpaper I had insisted on having when we re-did my room with a bunch of DD posters. HA! I consoled her by only putting them up with straight pins so the holes were super tiny.

      And FWIW I STILL love Duran Duran and just saw them in concert last year and I follow Simon and John on Twitter…where they are a HOOT!

      I don’t think I ever kissed the posters though.

      I can’t speak for my sister and her Scott Baio obsession though.

    • Elizabeth says

      Oh $herdog…I feel bad that no one else will cop to a Paula Abdul obsession. Haha!

      I’ll give you a pity post and say that I liked that video…and the one where she was dancing with the animated cat for “Opposites Attract!”

      ;-)

    • Randa says

      “He’s a cold-hearted snake, look into his eyes… ooo, oo oo, he’s been telling lies…”

      Totally loved Paula Abdul too.

  4. Carolyn says

    Great idea! So jealous of your minimalistic closet, as far as the clothes go. I try, but always fail, sigh. Just curious, since you don’t have a ton of clothes in the rotation, do you find that you wear through it quicker and have to go shopping every season (but then toss/donate the old stuff)? One of my new year’s resolutions is to pair down. Time to get on that!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I do find that certain items get worn a ton (ex: black tank top, since I’ll layer it in the winter and wear it alone in the summer) so those usually need to be replaced every other year or so. But I have lots of shirts and jackets that I’ve had since moving here from NYC (ack, that means they’re over 6 years old!). I do try to get a few wears out of things before washing them if I can, which I think helps!

      xo,
      s

  5. Laura@JourneyChic says

    What a great idea! I was pretty shameless about my Joey poster – there was a giant one on my closet door (outside) and my bedroom door (also outside) was covered in magazine clippings of NKOTB from Bop and Big Bopper magazines. Yikes. :)

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      I did that after seeing it on here and I love it. The thing I look at the most on there is the list of which items I can place in my recycle bins…can never remember those darn plastic number codes!

  8. Julia @ Chris loves Julia says

    Every time I go to the salon to get my hair cut—so once a year (I’m terrible), I bring a picture of Penelope Cruz with me. And every time I see a photo of her in a magazine, I tear it out and save it. Maybe it’s a little weird, but she has so many great look for brunettes!

    Reply

  11. Ambica Srimal says

    this is fabulous and so practical. love it! I have made soft boards for my husband’s office and lots and lots and lots of it… so i know the how but never thought of using the closet to keep one in… i am making one soon for my wardrobe :D brilliant!!

    Reply

  12. Leah says

    I am always saving ‘tear sheets’ as inspiration and never know what to do with them after. What a great idea!
    And only because I have a slight organizational obsession, but did you seriously place each hanger so perfectly apart from each other like that?! ahha I love it.

    Reply

  14. Suni says

    OMG!!! What a great idea… my husband would be so happy if I had somewhere other than the end table or manilla folders to put all my torn out pages from magazines!! You are genius! Thanks for sharing. LOVE IT!

    Reply

  15. RachelSD says

    Great idea! I would be irritated by the cluttered look, though, so I keep all my magazine tear-outs in clear sheet protectors in an “IDEAS” binder on my desk. I love to file recipes, health articles, design inspirations, travel suggestions, etc., under their own tab. And I actually do pull that binder out quite often, gaze at all the glossy photos, and use the inspirations. :)

    Reply

  17. Katie says

    This could have not come at a better time. I just redid both my son (6) and daughter’s (9) rooms, and I needed something to hang up all their items, but it wasn’t going to be my new doors and walls. :)

    The is just perfect! Thanks!

    Reply

  18. Melissa says

    I started an image inspiration journal of sorts when I was 15 or 16 and still add to it! Pics and articles that I’ve torn out of magazines of clothes, hair styles, make-up, accessories, etc…that I aspire to emulate, even complete “looks” that I admire. I revisit it when I’ve got a big shopping trip planned to help focus my shopping energy and dollars, and really to bolster my courage to step outside my very conservative habits. So glad to know someone else does something so similar!

    Reply

  19. Amy says

    We live in a modest ranch with no basement and no storage space. NONE. So when you ask if we’re hiding things, the answer is always yes. We have big ominous armoir/china-hutch/cupboard-like pieces in every room to keep the house neater and less cluttered…and to hide the magazine clippings and recipes lying around when company comes over. Ha!

    Reply

  21. Corinne says

    I love this! Won’t work for me sadly as my closets aren’t very deep, but something similar in my main closet would work for hanging belts and jewelry. Great idea!

    Reply

  22. Elizabeth says

    By the way…just read that today is “National Joe Day”…so there is no more perfect day to embrace your lifelong love of Mr. McIntyre.

    ROCK ON!

    Reply

  24. Kristen says

    Cute idea!! I love that it’s a secret girl fest behind all your clothes!! It’ll be so helpful when you’re getting ready to go shopping to just take a quick peek at your very own inspiration board!

    Reply

  25. Heidi P. says

    Speaking of pin boards, I know you like Pinterest and I know you try to pin from sites that have a Pin It button… so do you mind people pinning from here? (since you don’t have a Pin It button) I’d love to pin your cork-boards-on-an-inside-kitchen-cabinet picture of yore.

    Reply

  26. MH Toth says

    This would also make a lovely jewelry display – just put pretty stick pins and viola- instant untangled necklaces

    Reply

  27. Meredith says

    I read this post an hour ago and just thought of this: when I was in 8th grade I hung up pictures of famous SWIMMERS in my closet. Because I was that obsessed with swimming. So that combines the crazy-over-the-top fandom with my nerdy love of my sport. Who had time for boy bands and JTT when I could obsess over Olympians no one has heard of?

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      I wouldn’t mind having a poster of Ryan Lochte hanging in my closet.

      Mmmm…swimmers.

    • Meredith says

      That SO wasn’t what I was going for as a youth…but now that you’ve found him for me, he probably should go up on a bulletin board just like Sherry’s. :) It’s inspirational! [I can aspire to dress as my best self so as to appeal to the likes of Mr. Lochte…]

    • heather says

      Haha I love it. I never had any of them hanging up. I tear sheets of W magazine on my walls and…I will admit it…Steven Tyler & Joe Perry on my walls. Also, I had a huge crush on Richard Gere as a teenager.

      My mother was convinced I was going to marry someone twice my age. She was shocked a little when I met my husband who is only 8 months older than me haha. (I never dated anyone older, I just always had a thing for Steven Tyler while all my friends loved JTT).

  28. Amanda K says

    amen on the mom slump. every time i get dressed i look at my husband and say, “do i look like a frumpy mom?” and he always says no — which is proof that he has no idea what he’s talking about ;)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, oh yes. John responds even better. He says “I don’t know what’s fashionable.” Which is basically like saying “yes, you look frumpy so I’m dodging the question.”

      xo,
      s

  29. Emily V. says

    You’ve inspired me to make my own in my closet! It’s officially on my to do list.

    I used to make collages back in the day also. It was one of my favorite things to do. : )

    Reply

  30. Lauren says

    I love that I spotted a Rachel McAdams picture on your corkboard, since I’m convinced you two are twins! (Your last movie was excellent, by the way) :-)

    Thanks for the post!

    Reply

  31. Laura@Elegant Nest says

    Super cute idea…love that you call it your Lady-Business Board! Ha! Lauged out loud on that one!
    Its perfect for those outfit ideas…now you dont have to run to your computer and look up your pinterest Style Board!

    Reply

  32. Heather {ModernMealsforTwo} says

    My husaband and I do occassional boudoir photo shoots for our engaged clients. (I really couldn’t think of a way to make that sound less creepy, but I promise it’s not creepy and we keep everything in a Maxim-ish vein.) I always tell women the best place to hang boudoir pics is in the closet because no one goes in there except you and your hubby.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth says

      I was shocked once to see “natural” photos of my cousin and his wife in their master bathroom.

      Yikes!

      (To be fair, they were rather tasteful…taken at a distance out in some sand dunes, but STILL!!)

  34. Betsy says

    Um, yeah, your reference to NKOTB just made my day. When I got in trouble back in the day, I got grounded from listening to my NKOTB tapes. And going to my first NKOTB concert in 2008? Made my year.

    Reply

  36. Michelle says

    This would make an awesome jewelry board too to hang necklaces, earrings, etc! Great idea, Sherry! Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply

  37. Amanda R says

    I’m glad you had a NKOTB poster in your closet growing up…. I happened to have JTT poster (Jonathon Taylor Thomas, what happened to you?!). I might have also had a NKOTB bedspread and Joey barbie doll…. :)

    Reply

  38. Laura says

    No relevant cork board comments, but I do have to tell you that I saw Donnie Wahlberg the other day. He’s no Joey Mac, but a girl will take what she can get ;-)

    Reply

  42. Allison says

    For me it was a Justin Timberlake poster on the back of my closet door…sigh…I think you should put a pic of Joey up there now, for old times’ sake (just kidding, John).

    Reply

  43. ali says

    Ha ha – in related news, Target Corp execs meet next week to discuss the nationwide unexplained run on floppy cork squares.

    Reply

  44. Amy @ Lovely Nest says

    I haven’t done this, but it’s a great idea! I’ve been wanting to figure out a way to hang up inspiration for outfits near my closet, but have yet to figure out something that doesn’t look weird in a bedroom. I like the idea of being able to cover it when needed! I guess I found another project to add to my list!

    Reply

  45. snosie says

    I made your Chicken stroganoff last night… on a totally random tangent. I like pinterest for stopping me collecting ‘real’ cutouts!! I photograph them now instead

    Reply

  46. Krystal says

    Love it!…on a side note, I remember being at my friend’s house one night watching the very first season of Dancing With the Stars and her dad walked in and said, “Is that Joey McIntyre? You know we’re related to him…like distant fifth cousins three times removed or something…” When my friend replied she never knew that, her dad responded, “Well, that’s what your grandma claims anyway, but she’s nuts.” And then he walked away. I can never hear the name Joey McIntyre now and not remember that.

    Reply

  48. Larissa says

    My 9th grade history teacher had a NKOTB poster on his wall, but had covered their faces with the 4 AP history teachers’ school photos. It was hilarious.

    Love what you did with the cork squares. I have the same ones and haven’t been crazy about the way they look just stuck up on the wall. I think taping them together and slapping some cute fabric on them is just what they need!

    Reply

  49. Felicity says

    You could easily made a cork-like board out of an acoustic ceiling tile too. I did that and it worked out perfectly (I covered mine with fabric too). I actually liked it better than cork because it was thicker; there was no way the pins were going to push in too far.

    Reply

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