Faux Concrete Message Boards

I have been doing a bit of organizing included

in my spring cleaning, and noticed that

my hallway message boards were in need 

of a make-over! 

This is what they looked like! 

Not very pretty! 

I took down everything posted and filed 

what I wanted to keep. 

Then I got to work! 

It was a beautiful spring day, 

so I brought my work outside.

Can you see Weenie Baby lying in the sun?

Old shower curtain liners make great 'drop cloths'. 

I sanded the wood frame lightly. 

I painted the cork board with Delta Ceramcoat acrylic paint, 

in 'Rain Grey'. 

The grey painted cork looks just like concrete! 

The cork soaks up the paint, so I needed more than one 

2 fl. oz bottle per board. 

Even if the cork board is slightly damaged, 

the paint will cover that up.

I used a 1 inch paint brush.

Whitey Bear lounges nearby :)

I let that dry completely, then used painter's tape

to protect the edges before painting the frame. 

I used the same brand of paint in 'North Sea'

and a smaller artist paintbrush. 

I also painted wooden tacks the same color. 

Sticking them into corrugated cardboard made that easy! 

I wanted to 'dress up' the tacks, so I used blue 

buttons that I had bought by the bagful at the craft store. 

I simply glued them to the top of the tacks with Krazy glue. 

Aren't they pretty?

My favorite colors. 

Here you can see the tacks and the faux concrete 

look to the message board. 

So much better! 

These message boards were both thrifty finds. 

I chose colors to compliment the colors

in my hallway. 

The walls are painted a very soft aqua. 

This hallway leads to the stairway and is

directly off my kitchen. 

I use it to store folding chairs for 

extra seating when my whole family

comes to visit. 

There are usually 10 of us, or more

with friends. 

The stair landing is a mini art gallery

for my 'Posie Paintings'. 

The octagonal window looks out onto the deck 

and gets late afternoon sunshine. 

The hydrangeas are from my garden. 

I painted the small chest years ago 

with kitchen sponges cut to the shape

of petals. 

I keep family photographs inside. 

The milk glass compote is a 'wedding jar' given 

to my Mother by my Father for a 10th wedding anniversary.

They were married 58 years. 

The painting of sweet peas 

in a blue canning jar was another gift

from my Father to my Mother. 

She saw it in an art gallery, fell in love

 and my Father surprised her with it. 

The doorstops were also hers. 

I love having these little remembrances

of them and their love. <3

Peanut follows me back....

I might paint these frames, 

what do you think? 

Shabby Chic white? 

Now I have a pretty place to keep all those 

lovely invitations, thank you cards, 

and other sweet things too pretty to hide away. 

I hope this inspires you to give your message 

boards a pretty upgrade. 

Just a little paint, a few tacks and buttons, 

and you can turn that Plain Jane cork board

into a stylish faux concrete message center. 

xoxo

(I receive no compensation for mentioning name brands on my blog xx)

Today I am linking with: The Enchanting Rose - Roses of Inspiration

and

My Salvaged Treasures - Vintage Inspiration Party