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. Sue says

    I had picked up a magnetic board covered in a leopard print a while back. When I decided to use it in the newly-created nook off the master, I changed the fabric and added a new ribbon to coordinate with the new color scheme. I have pictures on it that make me smile – like a lab holding four tennis balls in his mouth and a baby sitting in a pumpkin patch with the greatest open-mouthed smile. Wish our paper still ran those pics.

    Reply

  3. Carrie says

    I have too many clothes- wouldn’t be able to pull them back enough to see anything. I made something similar for my home office using a heavy piece of foam core instead of cork & I love it.

    Reply

  5. Lauren says

    So I didn’t grow out of little girl crushes until way too late in my life.

    When I was a JUNIOR in COLLEGE I lived in a studio apartment where the kitchen was separate from the rest of the place by a door that slid completely in and out of a groove in the wall. On the side that faced my sleeping area I taped a poster of Orlando Bloom.

    That door stayed slid into the wall at all times, except for when I was going to bed and my boyfriend (now husband) wasn’t over. Then out came Orlando to watch over me as I slept.

    SO embarassing.

    Reply

  6. Mary says

    I would make it and slide it hidden and totally forget about it until I moved out! Great idea, though. I’d like to put up some goals and such but the thought of some house guest stumbling on them deters me.

    You guys are so thrifty! It makes me wonder if it’s mainly one of you that way by nature and the other one just humors him/her?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think we were both raised by very proud (self-described) cheap-o parents. Haha. So we grew up watching them save money and have now taken up the habit of trying to save when we can!

      xo,
      s

  8. Tina says

    I have some beautiful chunky, dark brown cork tiles that I can’t wait to use in my little office nook! I love the fabric covering you did-so pretty! I have magazine rip-outs all over my house! Home ideas, outfits, hair, food, etc. I could probably wallpaper my bedroom at this point. Hmmmm…

    Reply

  10. Lindsay B says

    Ha! I did the Joey thing too. Except for me it was Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys. Ahh, memories.

    I love those floppy cork boards! I recently stuck on in a Ribba frame from Ikea and took out the glass. So, it’s like a nicely matted and framed bulletin board.

    Reply

  12. Sherri says

    Ok I’m sure you’ve heard this a BILLION times (including on this thread, I’m sure!) – but every time you post a new picture of yourself I think you look JUST LIKE Rachel McAdams. When I saw her picture on your board I had to tell you. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, thanks! Such a compliment. I loved her hair in that pic so I ripped it out. Here’s hoping I can look that cute (not likely, but I’ll try).

      xo,
      s

  13. Sabrina says

    I like the idea of hanging something in the back of the closet, and I do have an unused corkboard that I’ve been meaning to fancy up. I never want to actually use something like that, though. Hm.

    Reply

  14. Patsy says

    I have a secret board in my closet, but it’s only secret BECAUSE it’s in my closet. (It’s not hidden behind clothes!) It’s actually the back of a built in bookcase in the bedroom, so it juts out into the closet – I’ve padded it and covered it with fabric, and that’s the spot I put all of the sweet pictures/cards my kids make and give to me. I’ve come to include notes from friends, etc, anything that makes me feel happy when I look at it! But those sweet pictures from kids add up, and this is the best place for me to see them all the time!

    Reply

  15. Rebeca says

    Yep. Great job..I also am in my 30’s and have had melanoma…I am now a sun freak…think suncreen windows in the car..sunclothes..wash in sunscreen sye ( very cool sunguard) etc… I also have 2 kiddos and they are always covered with Blue Lizard..love all the sunshirts etc.. that they have..make sure you are checking the hubby out too…My surgeon said he has had a child with melonoma as early as 6 months…just sayin…

    Reply

  16. Erika says

    Great idea…gotta post this to Why Didn’t I Think of That. Corkboard and duct tape. Could possibly use this as a future pinterest challenge!!
    And (reading the above comments) just saw Zombieland for the first time last Saturday. So good and now I got a hankering to watch Ghostbusters.

    Reply

  17. Stacey says

    You guys have been reading my mind lately (or vice versa). I got some thicker, darker cork tiles a few weeks ago and the dumb sticky tape does NOT even come to close to holding them up on the wall. They’ve all come crashing down and I’ve been trying to figure out a sneaky/clever way of keeping them up. Before I go all crazy, though, I’m going to try 4-6 small nails and (hopefully) be able to call it a day. Thanks!

    Reply

  18. taysha riggs says

    Huzzah! What a great idea. I have a ton of clippings with what trends to wear or what goes with this and that but sitting in a pile in my office isn’t helping. This will be my April project.

    Thank you

    Reply

  19. Megan says

    Love the idea – very nice and simple! Also love hiding it in the closet… I may have to do something similar. I, too, would need to include the “how to check freckles for cancer” article as I’m whiter than you (with red hair, double whammy, not to mention a super long list of cancer in my family).

    And I liked Joey too… when he went solo back in the late 90’s, my friend and I went to his concert. Yes, he was my first “real” concert… is that sad?!?!?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, mine was Blink 182 when I was a teen since my mom was so strict I wasn’t allowed to go to a concert before that (even with my friends parents there, haha). Oh those were the days.

      xo,
      s

  22. Ash says

    I didn’t have a jones for the NKOTB boys, but I did totally have a picture of Devon Sawa (from Caspar/Now & Then) under my pillow so that I’d dream about him by osmosis. First of all a) NERD ALERT for knowing about osmosis in 6th grade, and b) SO JEALOUS of Christina Ricci getting to kiss him in TWO movies. Sigh.

    And I see that you’re a Titanic fan, too! I’m totally getting a group together to go see it in downtown Seattle IN 3D as late as possible on April 13 (since the ship went down early in the morning on the 14th). That movie will never get old for me.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Um, you don’t have to tell me who Devon Sawa is. I was in love. Also Joshua Jackson. Hubba hubba. Come to think of it I had waaaay too many famous boy crushes.

      xo,
      s

  23. Kari N. says

    I totally had that Joey poster too! I didn’t hide mine in the closet, but was in full view on my wall. I would think about what it would be like to actually kiss him and one night I worked up the courage to kiss the poster! (I was a pretty shy kid and did realize the silliness of kissing paper.) Wouldn’t you know it, at that exact moment I went for it, my dad walked in! Total humiliation.

    Years later, I did get to shake Joey’s hand so I guess I got my payback, in my own way.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Bwahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha. I’m dying right now. Hilarious. And totally something that would happen to me. Except it would be my brother with a video camera.

      xo,
      s

  24. Leigh says

    HAHA! I loved Joey and Jordan from NKOTB. I also had a huge crush on Nick Carter.

    I have always ripped out magazine pages of my “girly things.” I love having little reminders of things to remember or things I want to try. I wish I had the space in the back of my closet for this. My clothes actually touch the wall because my closet is so shallow (and it’s not a walk-in either).

    Reply

  25. Rebecca says

    I’ve been wanting to put up a cork board like that, but don’t have a walk in closet or really any extra wall space. This idea is brilliant! I’m putting it on my to-do list for tomorrow!

    Reply

  26. Colleen in MA says

    Love it. I notice many of those pics feature women with their hair down. I’d like to see more pics of you sans pony tail!

    Interesting thing about mood boards – I kept notebooks full of mood-board type collages in my twenties. Now when I flip thru the notebooks, I cannot believe how many of those pics relate to something now in my life – from what my house looks like to how I wear my hair :) etc.

    There is something to be said for making time for consistent inspiration. Feeds the brain and the soul. Have fun!

    Reply

  27. mary says

    I love that you did this! I have a shoe hanger nailed up in my closet, as well as my baseball cap hooks. I don’t have enough wall space outside my closet, so this worked out great for me! And if I didn’t point out those things you’d never notice them in my closet :)

    Reply

  28. Crystal G says

    I HAD A JOEY MCINTYRE POSTER ON MY WALL TOO! Omg! (please don’t go girrrrl, You would ruin my whole world)

    Sad ending to my poster story… My best friend french kissed the poster (gross, right?!) so Joey’s mouth was all warped. That experience reinforced two thoughts: 1) kissing was even more disgusting than imagined if it could warp your face and 2) my friendship choices needed to be reexamined.

    Reply

  29. Maria says

    Hi Sherry! I don’t usually comment but, I just love your website! I was looking at the pictures on your inspiration board and noticed one that I also have on my inspiration board-the green dress, DSW ad. LOVE LOVE it!! Anyway, I am such a huge fan of this blog. Thanks for all the great ideas!

    Reply

  30. Briel K. says

    Nice corkboard but I’m more impressed with how little space your clothes take up! Wow! I’ve been slowly paring down on my closet for a couple years (I said slowly!) but I’m nowhere near that small amount. :) I’m also in awe of you only having one bra. LOL I think I have about 8. ;)

    Reply

  31. Laura says

    it’s like a real-life pinterest board!! or is it now considered an old school pin board?

    gorgeously green is great! if you like that, you’d probably like our (me and my friend, that is) blog–all about women’s health and personal health with a natural/alternative twist to it:
    http://getcleangirls.wordpress.com

    check it out! would love to hear what you think.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      LOVE it! Such a fun blog! I too used to have all those perfume bottles but about a year before I had Clara I went crazy organic and haven’t used them since! The funny thing is I’m a Jersey girl (born and raised) so to not wear about 10 spritzes of perfume per day is highly abnormal for where I come from! Haha.

      xo,
      s

    • Laura says

      lol! i get that. for so many women, being pregnant is the big influencer on those sorts of lifestyle changes. doesn’t make perfume bad as a concept, but everyone’s got to make their own informed choice!

  32. anne says

    I swooned over “please, don’t go girlllllllllll…” *Sigh* What am I saying? I would still swoon if I heard that song or saw him:)

    Reply

  34. Cayce says

    Hey Sherry, (I say like we’re bff or something)
    I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy you & John’s blog. You style is inspirational yet down-to-earth, and it’s become my favorite blog to read every day. I’m the same age as you and it’s refreshing to “meet” another punny girl. ;)

    Oh and btw, Jordan was on the wall of my closet! Screw Team Jacob, go Team Jordan!

    Reply

  35. Erin says

    I’m a 13 year old girl trapped in a 34 year old body who is addicted to teeny boppers. I currently have a poster of Justin Beiber on the back of my office door and i always chuckle when i close my door for a conference call and its just me and Justin in the room. Wow – i have issues.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha. When The Biebs came out a few years ago I told John “that boy has the voice of an angel” – and I meant it. Haha. He really does have a great voice. And I’m glad he’s changing it up in the hair department since every 11 year old has his old haircut.

      xo,
      s

  36. Nicole says

    I have a dream board on my wall in the office filled with all the things I want, big or small. Then as I get them away they go! Love your board!

    Reply

  37. Anne says

    Love this idea. I’ve been thinking about making an inspiration board for a while now… you may have just pushed me over the edge to make it happen!!

    Reply

  38. Sheela says

    Pretty cork boards are always fun! I made one for my mom, but I used an unframed cork board that was actually a “canvas style” one, so it had rounded edges that curved around which made it much easier to wrap with fabric. And it’s nice and thick, so pins stay in. It also has keyhole hangers, so you hang it up with screws. I think the one I bought was made by the Board Dudes, and I got it at AC Moore (craft store like Michaels). I think I used one of their 50% off coupons and got the board for about $6! It worked out great.

    Reply

  39. Abigail says

    When we were kids our Mom let us go into our closets with flashlights and crayons. We were allowed draw anything we wanted on the back wall.

    It was so amazing and I was convinced we had created something truly MAJESTIC. Years and years later we found it and it only came 3 feet off the ground! It was tiny. Had to laugh. Thanks prompting the memory!

    Reply

  40. Kim says

    Maybe someone already mentioned this, but did you know that you can do this project FASTER, EASIER, and CHEAPER?

    We used something called Homasote from our local lumberyard. The Home Depot and Lowes carry something similar. Ask for ‘soundproof fiber board, made from compressed recycled paper’ if they don’t carry the brand name stuff. A 4′ x 8′ sheet should run under $20 and can be cut down quickly with a utility knife or they can cut it for you at the store.

    You could have covered the whole back of your closet! ;)

    Reply

  41. Kim says

    Oops — meant to include the link to another blog that shows how they used Homasote to make a HUGE bulletin board. It’s like a work of art.

    Love your board, by the way! And that closet is seriously orderly!

    Reply

  43. Katie says

    I loved NKOTB too, so don’t feel bad Sherry :) And my husband actually saw them in concert when he was a kid…hilarious. Referring to your allergy comment, I am a huge allergy sufferer. ALL animals (I even had an allergic reaction at the circus, yes…I need to live in a bubble), trees, grass, pollen, dust, you name it! Are you opposed to using over the counter meds to help relieve your allergies? I have tried just about every type of allergy med over my lifetime and I have found HUGE relief from Zyrtec. Before becoming pregnant with my first baby I took Zyrtec D every day (just once a day helped). It has a decongestant if you have issues with stuffiness/sinus pressure. But since you can’t take decongestants while pregnant I switched to plain Zyrtec. And it still works great for me. In fact, my allergies improved while pregnant and have stayed that way since. I’ll take that side effect of pregnancy and forget about the not-so-tight tummy and csection scar :) Just wanted to offer some input if you are open to trying allergy meds. Hope you’re feeling better soon!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I have actually noticed that since having Clara mine haven’t been as bad either! They were the worst when I was prego with her though (for example, I had a huge hospital-worthy reaction to a cat that never bothered me before). I did try a few over the counter meds for my pollen allergies (Allegra D worked best for me) a few years before I had Clara, but I’ve been trying to do the natural thing for the last few years (especially since they’re not as bad since having Clara). If I get really desperate I’ll definitely give Zyrtec D a try though! Thanks for the recommendation!

      xo,
      s

  46. Amanda says

    This is a super weird question (and so doesn’t go with this post) but how many plates do you have in your set? I’m buying all new plates (and giving all mine away — I want all white), and I was thinking either 8 or 12, but I can’t decide.

    Reply

  47. Veronika says

    I love this idea! I’m glad I’m not alone on cutting things out from magazines and staring at them. I have a regular school notebook with magazine pages glued on them and little notes to myself like “I wish I looked like that” or “This is so my style”!!! hehe! And I’m not a teenager but who cares, it’s really fun! As soon as I have a walk in closet like yours I’m doing the cork board! It’s genius and every girl should have one! I’m so jealous of yours i think I wanna live in your closet for a while :)

    Reply

  48. Alli says

    I had a little cork board in my last closet, and LOVED IT. Maybe a silly thing to feel so strongly about, but I stuck pictures and notes and extra buttons and laundry instruction tags up there. Useful for so many things!

    Reply

  49. Janice says

    Completely off topic of this post, but y’all totally didn’t mention you were getting another curator’s collection at Joss and Main! Gorgeous stuff, too.

    Reply

  50. Brooke says

    So yesterday when I saw your theme board for the bathroom I yelled hysterically for my man to come see… because we literally picked out that exact tile this past weekend for our bathroom remodel! We chose the white hex for the floor, white subway tile for lower half of the shower wall and then the ‘aloe’ glass tile for the upper portion. I felt undeniably special that I had picked a color/theme that you chose for your house, because your blog is my ‘jam’! So imagine my surprise when I got on tonight to read and found you had made a pin board using that blue ikat fabric…because guess what I made a few weeks back?? It’s like I’ve reached your decorating wavelength or something! I made mine using an old bulletin board I found at the goodwill for like 2 bucks and it hangs in our office ;) That fabric is fabulous and I’ve used it on several projects!! Anyhow, just wanted to share and say thanks for being such a joy to read every night!

    Reply

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