Menu Board Tutorial

So, last week I made an amazingly cute little Menu board! This project came around because I am great at meal planning, however, execution sometimes I lack in. I keep my meal plan in my household notebook but in the morning I forget to check it to see what needs to be taken out to prep dinner. So, I thought if I make this menu board I shouldn't forget. Well, I made it a couple of weekends ago & all last week we stuck to our meal plan 100%. So, I am going to put the tutorial up now for how I did it. I should mention it didn't cost me a dime; I used all materials I had on hand so feel free to adjust.

Menu Board Supplies:

• 11”X13” frame (I had one I had lying around from Wal-Mart years & years ago it was no more than $5 I remember)
• Mod podge
• Paint (2) (color of choice I used black & a bluish color)
• Paint Brush
• 1” circle cutter (optional)
• 9 bottle caps
• 9 clothes pins
• Letter stamps
• Stamp pad (color of choice I used blue)
• Two small, leftover squares of scrapbook paper (can match or just coordinate)
• Post it note pad
• 12 X 12 cardstock (white or colored whatever you prefer)
• Tape
• 12X12 cardstock or business cards
• Envelope (1-2)

Instructions: 

1.  Paint frame black (if it isn't already). Mine needed 3 coats, then I topped with two coats of matte mod podge. Let dry.

2.  Measure white 12"X12" card stock & trim to fit back of frame. With leftover piece fit it to cover the rest of the frame; tape in place.

3. Using stamps, on the upper right hand corner of the 12"X12" paper you just pieced together stamp “menu”.

4. Put this in the frame (cleaning the glass first if need be) & secure with fasteners on the back.  Next, paint clothes pins. I like to put these on an old Tupperware container & paint them that way as the paint dries they don’t get glued together. I put two coats of paint on each clothes pin & then followed it with one coat of matte mod podge. Let dry completely. 

      5.  Punch out 9 one-inch circles from a piece of scrap card stock. I’d make sure this coordinates with your pain colors you used on the frame, clothes pins, and stamping. Using smaller stamps or fancy script label them Monday through Sunday. I used abbreviations: "M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su." Then, the last two I labeled "B" (for breakfast) and "L" (for lunch). Then put a little glue on the inside of the bottle caps & press the 1” labeled circles down. Let dry (about 5-10 minutes), then coat with mod podge. I only used one coat here & it was fine. It would look really cool with dimensional mod podge but I didn't have any on hand. Using hot glue center these onto your clothes pins & glue down. 

This was how I labeled them, notice these are on the left hand side of the frame.

      6. Glue clothes pins onto frame. (I put my Monday-Sunday ones on the left & breakfast & lunch ones on the right.

You can see the "B" & "L" here, notice they are affixed to the right side of the frame.

      7. With last piece of scrap card stock stamp or write “List” on the top & affix the post-it note pad to it. Using double sided tape tape to the frame in the bottom right hand corner.

Must be the glare from the amazing sun behind me, but this was how I did the "List" section. This way when we run out of something or the husband or daughter need something they can just write it here. Otherwise, when I write down my menu for the week the few things I will need can go here & I can just take it with me.

      8.  Finally, if you have plain business cards get those out to use as your little sheets to write your meals on or if you don’t have any using a paper trimmer cut out small rectangles the approximate size of business cards (I didn't measure mine I just started cutting lol). For a little extra flair I stamped mine in the bottom right hand corner. I keep extra’s in an envelope hot glued to the back of the frame. My meals I plan each week I don’t throw those cards away I do keep them in a second small envelope hot glued to the back so I don’t waste too much paper.

These are the "business cards" I made. I just cut the first one myself then  after that first one I did measure the rest  so they would be the same size as that one. I'd say they are probably 3"X2" cards maybe? After, I found a cute stamp in my collection & added a little flare to all the cards. I think I cut 40 total cards. I figure I can cut more as the seasons change & I will change the little picture at the bottom to give it some seasonal flair.

I hope you all enjoyed the tutorial! Let me know if you decide to make one & share some pictures!! OR if you already have one post it for me to see and share a link in the comments below!!!