Hello, hello! A very good morning blogverse. We have a DIY Message Board tutorial today, one that’s super easy to make, oozes rustic goodness and can be used as a message board, a decorative board and also a plant hanger- all at once. And one I think you all will quite like. But hey, before all of that, I missed saying hello to you. All the women in the world and a handful of classy gentlemen who has great taste {Haha}. I missed asking you “how have you been holding in your neck of woods?” and “who’s drinking what right now?”. Oh the good old days when I pretty sure I was talking to a large vacuum.
And Though my SEO says I am doing a grave offence by not “making the topic of the blog clear” in the first paragraph rightaway, today I’ll take a little time to just write how I want, what I want. Because this place means a lot more to me than just a tool for Google ranks. I might just speak about my cat a bit whose been greeting me with brilliant vomits every morning or a few Brazilian friends who thought it’ll be lovely to follow me on instagram as a group but before that, the DIY Message Board. Oh, this whole week has been a big, big fiasco. But I still have the ability to chuckle at that which makes me feel alright.
DIY Message Board Tutorial
My message board is 3ft by 2 ft so I am giving you all the measurements accordingly. But you can make it smaller or larger depending on the use.
You’ll need:
Mesh: 1 inch by 1 inch squares or larger so you can clip things
Wooden frame: Depends on how thick or thin you want the frame to be. You will need 8 strips of wood.
Medium nails
Hammer- Jack or whatever
Paint: Optional
Clothes Pin: Wooden ones or others as you please
How to:
1. Cut mesh according to size. This part you can get it done from the store or cut it with pliers at home. If you are in Navi-Mumbai, you will find this in Janta market. You will not find it anywhere in Vashi. I got the strips cut from here. Haha, carry Dettol.
2. Cut 8 strips of wood- 4 strips to the length of 3 ft {mine was 3 ft} and 4 to sizes after you have placed the 3 ft ones. I’ll tell you why. Then you’ll know the exact length you’ll need so the strips fit snug to the ones already attached, as frame. Never precut. Or buy ready frames where in you just remove the glass, open up one side and fit the mesh in. Upto you.
If you are cutting on your own, here are the dimension
wood strips set 1: 3 ft 6″ length {leaving 3″ on each side} x 1″width x 1/2″ height
Wood Strips set 2: 2ft minus 2″ {1″ each side}
3. Place your mesh on an even surface {not on a table or glass} and sandwich the edges between wooden strips. Place your mesh slightly below the edge of the wood so the free jagged ends dont hurt you. Or a fly. This is when you’ll need to secure the two strips with nail.
4. Once you have secured the longer wooden strips, get to the smaller side. This might require minute alterations. Secure each side with 3-4 nails. This will ensure it’s right in place
5. Step 5 is to flatten all jagged nail behind the frame with a hammer. This step is super important because firstly, you don’t get hurt and secondly so it doesn’t scratch your walls.
6. Step 6 is to hang your DIY message board- secure two screws on your wall and just hang it from the mesh. There is no need to attach anything extra. You can if you want but you don’t need. Unless your planks are super thick and it doesn’t hold. If they are thick, attach hooks behind or your mesh will bend.
7. Step 7, add plastic pots with real or artifical plants, cards, postcards, photographs and lights! Make it yours
Really simple stuff I tell you but looks so good when you hang it up! I am looking forward to deck it up for Diwali and Christmas and it’s my new muse. Trust me, this one is a must have. I sometimes clip on chores too because I forget. But then that’s just me. With a chalkboard, fridge and phone reminders I still forget things. My head’s a goop.
Honestly, I was all set to rant about how I had to change my vet because my poor cat had to go through a lot for a stupid human and the fact that a recent collab brought me a whole lot of Brazilian friends on instagram who are like 13 year olds with selfies lacing their timeline- and which thankfully stopped- but I think it’s not all that important anymore. See that’s the beauty of me writing. I start with an angry head but my love for writing and decor takes over and I forget all about the minor disappointments of life.
This is why I blog.
Rukmini XO