Tutorial: How to make an inspiration board from a big frame

If you are a visual person (like me) you absolutely need a inspiration board in your home, maybe several?! If you don’t have one already, follow along in my tutorial on how to make one! It’s very easy and you need very few supplies!

I used a big vintage frame and re-painted the whole thing white. I love these big frames so much! I have a few with beautiful gold ornaments and those I won’t touch, but this one was rather ugly if you ask me, with several colors that was kind of worn out. So I used a white paint we had at home and painted all sides twice. What a change!

Than I took some kitchen string and stapled that to the backside with a staple gun. They run from one short end to the other, like a cloth line that you can hang your inspirations on. I like these lines with cloth pegs or paper clips, some hang them directly on the wall, but I wanted a frame for my inspiration to kind of give it a special place above my desk.

To test drive my frame I used some papers laying around so I could measure how far apart I wanted the string. Then without further ado I stapled them in place, trying to get them as stretched as I could. If they are not stretched they will sack and cover the lines below when they become heavy from your inspiration stuff!

Finished painted frame! I’m very pleased with the result, and glad that I once again choose white. I would’ve loved to paint it pink, but I don’t know what color the room will have later and the things I hang will come out better when the frame color is not as strong. The other two pieces I painted at the same time is a thrifted tray and a… what to call it? Letter hanger thing? I will post details about them later.

Anyway, now it’s done! Or maybe the board is never really “done”? It’s a constant work in progress as it should be changing alongside with you… Let it evolve.

I hung up some random things that inspires me right now and some art that I made myself!

On my inspiration board I’ve hung a few of my Daily Art Cards, magazine images and the writing amulet that Maria gave me for Christmas. It’s a porcelains plate (called ornament tab) with a image of a vintage typewriter! I love it!

Maria bought my TAB ornament from Circa Ceramics at Etsy! I could easily become a circaceramic-collector if I stay there to long, they have so much cool stuff that I like! What about the polka-dot tile for my coffee mug or even a coffee mug for my brain to wake up? Fun!

So, I hope that inspired you to make a inspiration board of your own, any style. This is just one of many ways to do it. In my previous apartment I stapled a chicken run net to the wall and used that as an inspiration board! I don’t like boards where you have to stick needles through your art, I don’t like to make ugly little holes in photos and beautiful postcards. I prefer to hang them with pegs. Magnets is a option. I would like to try to paint with magnetic paint someday when I have a place to do that!

Some people take a monthly photo of their changing inspirational space and keep it as a set. I think that’s a great idea! I will defiantly write about my white framed board again when the content has changed and shifts!

More inspiration boards…

* Check your drawers and boxes to see what you’d like to hang on your inspiration board! I like to put up handmade postcards I receive, ATC’s, beautiful envelopes, craft images that inspire me, stickers that I want to use soon, little glittery things, photos of loved ones, brooches, collages, fabric hearts, handwritten letters or poems found on the internet etc. etc. What is your favorite bit of ephemera or paper to be inspired by? Put it up there!

* Download the free and very cute zine inspiration – it’s all about inspiration boards [found via Leah]

* Don’t miss the Inspiration boards blog – lots to see and read over there!

Have fun!