DIY: Linen Memo Board & Neon Push Pins

Hi Made By Girl readers!! It's Jenny Bevlin on this Monday morning with a great DIY for your home. I'm in the middle of redoing my home office/craft room. One of the things that I really wanted for my space is a really great memo board. I don't know about you, but I love pinning items to memo boards to have around always to keep me inspired.

I love Pinterest, but there is just something about having images (that I LOVE) around me to keep me inspired! As far as memo boards go, I knew I wanted something that was neutral in color to make the images I put on it to really pop!

I did some searching on the internet & found this linen memo board. However, I feel like $149 is too much to spend on a memo board and I knew I could easily DIY it. For the push pins, I knew I wanted something fun. I love the neon and neutral trend, so I decided to make some neon push pins. These push pins are a great compliment to the neutral linen fabric. Don't you think??

Here's what you need to make this memo board:

Cork Board
Linen Fabric
Staple Gun
Staples (Make sure your staples are the appropriate length. Staples that are too long may poke through the other side of the board.)

Steps:

Lay the fabric out and place the cork board on top of it face down. Cut the fabric around the board leaving about 3 inches or so all the way around the board.

Before you staple the fabric to the board, make sure you iron the fabric so that it is crease free. Next, staple the fabric to the back of the board all the way around. Make sure that you are pulling the fabric tight around so that the fabric will be nice and tight on the front of the board.

Leave the corners for last. For the corners, you will just fold them down and over as shown in the picture and then staple down.

Here's what you need to make these neon push pins:

Flat Head Push Pins
Acrylic Paint
Clear Nail Polish
Foam Board (I used this to put the push pins in to dry)

Steps:

Dip the head of the push pin in the paint. I then poked my push pins into a piece of foam board so that they could stand upright while they dried.

Once dry, paint the push pins with clear nail polish.

The best thing about this whole project is that everything cost a total of $25! Now, what should I buy for my office with the $125 I saved?

- images and post by Jenny Bevlin

26 comments

Jolie JouelApril 23, 2012
Wow, what a fun DIY! Those push pins are so cute once they've been colored!

joliejouel.blogspot.com
CathyApril 23, 2012
Great DIY's! Can you share where you bought the corkboard material, how thick was it, and how you hung it? Did you have to use a backing?
AudreyApril 23, 2012
I so agree with you! Pinterest, as cool as it is, is just not the same as having some pictures right there in front of you. I love having my inspiration board by my desk too :)

Audrey - This Little Street
UnknownApril 23, 2012
I am just about to tackle a DIY pin board project - I love this! thanks for the inspiration xx
Tiffany Leigh {thedesignerlifestyle}April 23, 2012
I really love this DIY! I might make one of these. Great job!
Tiffany
thedesignerlifestyle.blogspot.com
Spearmint BabyApril 23, 2012
this is really a lovely project, Jenny!
Tanya from Dans le LakehouseApril 23, 2012
I agree - I still keep binders of inspiration torn from magazines and a bulletin board by my easel. I LOVE the neon pushpins. Too gorgeous!!
AnonymousApril 23, 2012
beautiful Jenny! I love pinterest too, but agree that nothing beats a 'real' live tack board!
I love your push pins. I actually some similar neon beauties at my local dollar store. I just love them ;)
Amy {Fresh and Fancy}April 23, 2012
This turned out so cute! Painting the push pins is such a great idea - love it!
ShelbyApril 23, 2012
So great!! I just did this very thing for my office/craft room makeover! The only difference was that I spray painted some tacks and covered some in fabric: http://www.honeysuckleblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/officecraft-room-makeover.html
CDSApril 23, 2012
That's a super cute idea! Simple and fun! :)
ShanaApril 23, 2012
That is such a great idea! I actually might try this DIY.

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p-l-a-i-dApril 23, 2012
Love the neon push pin idea! Such a fun look.
JessApril 23, 2012
so adorable!
LouisaApril 23, 2012
Love it! I need to make one for my new office!
Lindsey Anne | pinklet and cApril 23, 2012
LOVE this DIY! Definitely need to try this! Thanks for sharing!
Jenny BevlinApril 23, 2012
Thanks everyone!

For those that asked, I bought my cork board at Joann Fabrics. It's about an inch think. Although this would work on any type and thickness of cork board. To hang it, I just used the heavy duty double sided sticky squares that came with the board.
AnonymousApril 24, 2012
Wow, thank you so much for these wonderful ideas! I am getting a big pin board for my room, and although I have already bought the board, I will definitely use the neon pin DIY idea! Can't wait to try this! x

Kate {Something Fabulous}
http://thesomethingfabulous.blogspot.com
leanneApril 24, 2012
love this - and the neon pins, am going to have to try a diy! thanks for sharing
GlitteratiApril 24, 2012
Lovely idea, especially the pins :)
Brittany LaurenApril 24, 2012
Fun DIY project! I love the explosion of color! Pinterest is fun but nothing compares like a rainy day cutting or flipping thru magazines and getting inspired.
las sandalias de anaApril 25, 2012
So Great!

;)
L.A. in the bayApril 26, 2012
this is the most genius thing ever and I so want to do this now!
JulieApril 27, 2012
Great idea! I need to do this.
Vanessa {www.vanillaroseblog.com}April 29, 2012
I love this idea! I just recently did a similar thing with glitter push pins.
PennyVMay 04, 2012
the neon Pins are awesome! I am so into neon right now.

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