A "Corky" Gift - from April

Today we've got a super cute and doable gift idea from April.  She covers it all on her blog - book reviews (which are great, since I LOVE reading), gift ideas, crafts and DIY, parties, recipes, seasonal... ah!  Go get lost there.  But read this first.

Hi! I'm April and I blog at Cup of Delight. I have a passion for handmade gifts, so I am super-excited to be apart of Kimberly's Gift It series for the second year in a row. I also have a passion for figuring out how to make things as easy as possible, so anyone can do it, while retaining the quality. Today, I am sharing a gift I recently made for my Tween niece - a framed corkboard which requires no sawing! It's seriously super easy.

All you need is:

• A16x20 frame
• Cork (I used 2 sets of cork squares from Walmart-they are a little pricier, but they are thicker and sturdier than most cork sheets.)
• 15X20 Foam Board
• Fabric (2 yards)
• Hot glue gun

 How To:

Step 1-Prepare your frame. Thrift stores sometimes have fun, fancy frames for a cheap price. You can spray paint it any color you want. Fortunately, I found one the exact color of turquoise I needed at Hobby Lobby for half off! It already had the hardware to hang the frame too, so keep that in mind! You may have to add hardware if your frame does not have it.

 

Step 2-Cut cork to size.

Because I used the 12x12 cork sheets, I cut them into four sections to get 16x20 worth of cork. Don't worry about the creases in between the pieces-they will not matter in the end. In fact, I do not recommend using a cork roll for this. It is less expensive, but it is thin and will tear easily. It is not thick enough to make a cork board-you will need several layers. Trust me, I tried it first!

Step 3-Hot glue cork pieces together. First, I glued each pair of sizes together to make the pieces double thick.

Then, I glued the pieces together onto the foam board to create the 16x20 piece of cork.

The foam board is essential because it creates sturdiness. If you forget the foam board, the cork will fall apart! You can probably get away with only using one set of cork squares with less thickness, but pins might not stick as nicely.

Step 4-Wrap cork and backing in fabric.

Wrap the fabric TIGHTLY, like you're wrapping a gift and glue down the pieces that overlap in the back-do not glue down the front! That will make it bumpy and difficult to pin things.

Step 5-Glue cork and backing to frame.

The fabric-wrapped cork and foam board will fit tightly and nicely into the frame. Run hot glue (quickly before it cools!) around the inside edges of the back of the frame and press the cork and backing in firmly.

And there you have it-a super-cute cork board!

It's a great Tween gift, but will work for anyone if you change up the style of frame and fabric...even guys!

Thanks to Kimberly for having me again - I love this series and am enjoying all the great projects!

Combining so many of my favorite things - ease, cuteness, functionality, bright colors... I may have to make a bunch of these (and I love the idea of making this for a guy, they're so hard to handmake for!)

Another guest up tomorrow!  Come see who!

*Be sure to check the right sidebar for all the fun parties I link to!