Repurposed Sign - Telephone Message Board

Edited to add:  I will be participating, with this here little post, in Metamorphasis Monday over at BNOTP - be sure to check out the other ideas right here!


So, I showed you guys a few project that I would be working on over the weekend in this post.

And, I then followed up with my "Rained Out" post.

But, I realized that not EVERYTHING has to do with spray paint.  It really doesn't.   So I've completed a couple of projects this morning anyways and here is one!
This started with an old sign I found in my barn.   There was something about it that I actually like "as is" but just too dark and faded.   Anyways, here is how she started life:

I removed the back from the wood frame ( I did not take photos, but you can get the general idea from my tutorial on how to obliterate giraffes with chalkboard paint.)   This time I used a rock from my garden as a power tool.   The "fancy" stuff like cheese spreaders were somehow unavailable.

Anyways,   the backing was spraypainted with my New BFF Chalkboard Spray Paint.  Read the above referenced post for more information, but it can basically be sprayed on just about any surface and will create a chalkboard.  No, really - it works!  

So now we have this.  

And I apologize for the bad lighting/photos - it's pouring here and cannot get much light!  I actually liked the frame to remain black for some reaon.  I had an idea for my kitchen which is mostly a creamy white with black accents, and didn't want it to blend into the woodwork too much, so to speak.

But it's obviously a little lacking in the "oomph" department ugly so needed some further "work".

So for just a touch of color, I tried holding a few ribbons against the frame to see how they looked...

I liked this in a way, but it seemed a little too "grannyish".   No offense to any grannies - I think Grannies are great.  

I really liked the brown and white gingham too.

I tried a few more to see what might look nice (I will spare you all those photos) and finally did decide on some khaki-tannish trim along with the gingham ribbon above.

See the knob?   Go look again - it's right there.   Once I started playing around with this piece, I got the idea that it somehow reminded me of a door.   I had this knob left over from when we were trying out looks in my daughter's room, so I ran and got it.  No I didn't - I walked actually.  I walked and got it.   I wish that I had some really really cool old and chunky looking knob, but I am impatient and wanted this project over with LOL!   So this is the one I went with.  

It was attached with Gorilla Glue.  This stuff works GREAT, but use with caution.   It tends to "expand" once it starts setting up, and even though I was careful, a tiny bit did escape from where it belongs.   I decided to just move on.

Did a little more playing around with the ribbon arrangement (again, I'll spare you :) and this is what I finally came up with.

Again, my apologies for the awful photos.   But I think it came out really really cute!  I attached the long piece of trim with my other BFF - FabriTac.   I cut the bows so that they were about the same size, not quite so droopy, and also spaced them out a bit more.

Then the problem was how to hang?

This piece was designed to hang on a part of a beam above where our phone is in the kitchen.  I thought it might make a cute "message board".  

Not being at all aquainted handy with "real" tools, I decided on the following:

Some pretty gingham fabric, cut into a line and fashioned into a shabby little bow!  You are looking at the back of the board in this photo - I used more FabriTac to adhere.

And ...............

Voila!   It worked even better than I thought it would.   Now I have an adorable, cheap enough to almost be considered free, useful and unique Message Board!

I love the architectural detail of the knob.  

And the frame itself is thick and chunky enough to store a piece of chalk on!

So that's what we get for being creative and innovative!   I am truly looking at all my "old stuff" in new ways lately and have a bunch more projects that I can't wait to show you all.   

I'd love to hear about any of your projets as well!   Let me know, send me a link, show me a picture, leave a comment if you have anything you've repurposed in a fun way!

Have a great weekend!

Smiles and Hugs,
Joyce