Authentique Bountiful Altered Clipboard: A Back to School Mini Message Center

Hello, Friends!  How can it already be the last day of August?  This summer came and went with lightning speed!  With the kids heading back to school, I thought it would be fun to share a great idea for a Mini Message Center.  I altered a Tim Holtz mini clip board with gorgeous papers from Authentique’s Bountiful collection and in just a couple of hours this adorable  back to school mini message center was ready for action.

The front side has a little cork board layer so you can pin small notes, passes, or locker keys here.

The back side is also finished with designer papers and a sticky note pocket/mini pencil.

How to Make  a Back to School Mini Message Center

These little clipboards are so much fun to alter!  The hinge screws off to make the job easy.  Here’s how I put this one together:

• First, remove the hinge by unscrewing the round caps. The screws are on the back side of the clipboard and will just pop right out.  Set the hardware aside in a safe place so you don’t have to search through a huge pile of paper looking for the missing round cap.  Not that it would ever happen in my studio, of course.
• Next, trace the clipboard on two different patterns of designer paper.  One for the front, one for the back. Cut these out.
• Now, glue the front paper in place.
• Then, use a hole punch from the back side so that you’ll have an easy time of getting the screws back in.
• Sand lightly around the edges and ink with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
• Repeat this process for the back side of the clipboard.
• Next, cut two 3.5″ x 4″ squares of cork.  (You can buy cork in a roll at Wal-Mart.)
• Then join the two squares together with Scor-Tape.
• Now attach the cork square to the clip board with more Scor-Tape.
• Add a Border Sticker on the bottom and a strip of matted designer paper on top.
• Then mat the sticker on kraft cardstock and glue in place with foam tabs.
• Add bows, buttons and flowers.

Mini Message Center: The Flip Side

The reverse side is equally easy to create.

I scored and folded some corrugate packaging to make my sticky note holder.  Cut a short piece of ribbon, add Scor-Tape to the ends (leave the middle adhesive free) and you’ve got a nifty pencil holder!  After staining a mini ruler, I hot glued it over the screws to hide them from view.

I created this little sticky note pad cover  then popped it into the pocket.  Add some matted images or sentiments from the collection and you are good to go!

Of course, if you’re making this for a fella, just leave off the bows and flowers.  It’s still really cute!

This is such a quick and easy project!  You could easily make these for each of your kids,and I think they’d make great teacher appreciation gifts, too.

I hope I’ve shared some tips and tricks that you can use in your own crafty adventures.  If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Supply List:

Authentique Products: Bountiful 12x12 Collection Kit (comes with Details Stickers) 6" x 6" Paper Bundle  Other Supplies: Tim Holtz Mini Clip Board, Cork, thumb tacks, 3" x 3" sticky note pad, cardboard packaging, buttons, flowers, ribbon from your stash. Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Scor-Tape