Betsy Veldman
Happy Halloween everyone! Consider this your friendly public service announcement for the day: don’t forget your camera! You don’t want to miss the opportunity to snap some great shots of all the cute little ghosts and goblins.
Since most of you have probably wrapped up your Halloween crafting for the year, I have an easy year-round project to share with you today. We don’t do a whole lot to celebrate Halloween around our house, but my kids do usually dress up in costumes and trick-or-treat up and down Main Street in our tiny little town. And I usually manage to get a few cute pictures, which got me thinking about a project for today.
I don’t know about you, but after an event or holiday like today, I want to put a few of my favorite pictures on display, and I never seem to have a good spot for them! So today I put together some cute photo clipboards that will allow me to quickly and easily change out the photos throughout the year. They look cute sitting on the hutch in my dining room and I’m excited that I will finally have the perfect spot to display those favorite photos instead of letting them sit on my computer!
They were super easy to put together. I took three small clipboards that I picked up at a big box store for less than $2 each. I started by masking off the clip and spraying the shiny silver finish with a more rustic metal finish. You could definitely leave them silver if that coordinates better with your décor.
Then I took some Ranger Distress Ink pads and “stained” the wooden clipboards by applying the ink pad directly to the wooden part of the clipboard. I just kept inking until I was happy with the color and evenness.
Lastly, I used my Cricut to cut some large numbers from patterned paper and adhered them to each clipboard. I finished them off by spraying a clear coat finish over the top before adding my photos.
So quick and easy, not to mention inexpensive. I’m loving this little addition to my décor…all for less than $10!
Now go have a great Halloween. Have fun, be safe, eat lots of candy, and oh! Don’t forget to take some great photos!
Betsy Veldman, Paper Crafts Go-to Gal
Super idea and wonderful result. Love the B/W photos too.
What a super clever idea! Thank you!
Such a great idea…and such cuuuuute kiddos!
Clever way to display the photos! Happy Halloween!
Love these- great idea! Happy Halloween!
So cute! I’m wondering if you sprayed this with any kind of fixative when you were done? I wonder about that when using distress inks, since they react when wet. If I am going to mail a distress inked card or if a craft will be handled, should I spray it with a clear coat?
A really cute project that will, indeed, be usable all year ’round. I’m a big fan of b&w photos. These are not only sweet pictures, but are very effective with the clipboards. Thanks for sharing your project idea.
What a great project!
Love the using ink pads directly to the clipboard to change the color! Fabulous idea~
How clever! Thank you for sharing your brilliant idea.
Great idea, Betsy. Thanks so much for this clever and fun way to display and easily change out photos of our favorite people
Thanks for a fabulous way to change up a display and have fun with paper crafting tools at the same time!
Very clever, Betsy ~ as usual. TFS!
These are so cute and a great idea- would be great all year round!