Chicken Wire Memo Board Tutorial

I saw one of these in another nursery, and really wanted to make one of my own.  I already had an old, large frame that I had picked up on the cheap, so I thought it would be a perfect addition to my nursery.  It was super simple to make and so cute!

You will need:
- Old frame
- Spray primer (I like Kilz)
- Spray paint
- Chicken wire and something to cut it with
- Staple gun and short staples
- Masking or electrical tape
- Picture hanger

1.  Before you paint, lay your frame down and measure out the size of chicken wire you will need to cut for the back.  Measure all the way almost to the outside edge of the frame, as you will need a little extra length in the end.  Carefully cut your wire, be sure to cut straight across and down the wire so it looks nice and neat when it is hung.

2.  Any old frame will do, but if you are painting it a solid color its nice if it has texture or an interesting design.  If there are any large chips or scratches, you can fill them in with a wood filler because you won't see them when you paint over it.  Wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove and dirt and grime and give it a nice light coat of primer.  You may need a second coat, but I always think 2 light coats are best so you don't get any drip marks.

my frame before priming

3.  After the primer is dry, lightly spray with several coats of spray paint.  Be sure to get the outside edge, as well as the lip on the inside

4.  Once you paint is nice and dry, lay the frame face down on a towel.  This will keep it from getting scratched while you staple the chicken wire to the back.

 

5.  Moving around the outside edge, press the chicken wire into the lip of the frame so it is flush with the front and start stapling on the back.  I used a wood scrap block to push the wire neatly into the lip.  It is important for the wire to be flush with the front of the frame so that when you hang it on the wall there is a little space between the wire and the wall.  Also, make sure the staples you are using are short enough that they are not going to punch through the front side of the frame.

6. Since the cut edges of the wire are sharp, I covered mine with some black electrical tape to keep them from scratching myself or the wall.

7.  Attached picture hanger to the back, I like the little saw tooth ones the best.

8.  For an added touch of cuteness, make your own decorative clothes pins to secure notes, cards and pictures with.  They are super simple:

 - cut small stripes of scrabook paper the size of the front of the wooden pin
 - smear mod podge on the clip, apply paper, then smear more mod podge over the top.  Your finger works better than any brush for this project.
 - allow to dry and you have cute coordinating clips!

my memo board in the "reading nook" part of my nursery

This project works on many size frames, and would be cute in the kitchen as a memo board or even in the playroom to display kid's artwork on a rotating basis.  I have also seen them with fabric across the back, but I prefer the wall showing through.