Scavenger Chic

Dry Erase Board from an Old Frame

• By Joan
• March 14, 2019
• 4 Comments

Super easy upcycle for you today, transforming a thrift store frame and making your paper shopping list a thing of the past.

This is almost the frame I started with.  I couldn’t find my original pictures but this frame started out red and was heavily chipped and scratched.

This was the original picture though which originally drew me to the frame.  I only paid a couple of dollars for the frame and I don’t have any train decor but this picture looked old.

Should I keep the train picture?  On the back it looked like a letter of authenticity explaining how this was a Currier and Ives print and Currier and Ives prints “are of inestimable value.”

It was looking good,  this print may actually be worth something until I saw the label, Eaton Jigsaw Puzzle.

Someone had framed the jigsaw puzzle box.  At least I’ll have no qualms about throwing the picture away.

By the way, the puzzle was $20 on Ebay.  Someone else called it a vintage puzzle from the 70’s.  Maybe it’s just me but I don’t consider the 70’s to be vintage. 😕 

I can now stop worrying that I’m tossing a priceless antique and get on with my original project, a DIY dry erase board.

Paint your frame a color to match your decor.

Take out the glass from the frame and use that as a pattern to cut a thin backing board just slightly smaller than the glass  (you’re leaving room for fabric).

Find a backing fabric light enough so that your dry erase markers show up but with a little pattern, so that when you don’t have a list, your frame is not empty.  Cut out the fabric leaving an inch border on all sides of the glass.  Laying the glass over top of the fabric allows you to center any pattern before cutting.

Depending on the size of your frame you could also use wrapping paper or decorative craft paper as a backing.

If you are using fabric, use hot glue to wrap the fabric around the backing board.

To hold everything together, I just restapled the cardboard that originally came with the frame and added a hangar.

Use dry erase markers to start your grocery list.

It’s great for doodling too.

I may have gotten a little too carried away with the doodling.  🙂

When you’re ready to head to the grocery store, just take a picture with your phone.  Erase and start over.  And don’t forget to take your phone with you.

Have you ever taken a picture of yourself taking a picture?  It’s not so easy.  🙂

Stay inspired.

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