Magnetic

Good morning, hows things? All good here, thanks for asking. Now before I get going can I just say a warm ((thank you)) to you for calling by the Attic to see me, I am always so pleased that day after day you choose to stop by to see what I'm up to. I do enjoy having visitors, even the silent ones amongst you, my stats tell me you are there, and I am glad.

So :: pretty things today. See those magnets up above there? Aren't they  the most gorgeously beautiful and desirable magnets you have ever seen? Aren't they just? Of course when I was browsing my local shops the other week, I wasn't in any way looking out for magnets. I was actually in the shop to buy soap, but you know how it goes, you go in looking for handmade soap and come out with delicious but expensive magnets and approximately one quarter of the weeks grocery money suddenly  spent. I simply could not walk away and leave these beauties behind and oh the joy! YEs! They are worth every penny and I do adore them wholeheartedly.

So what to do with these delicious magnets? They are too pretty to be put on the fridge and quite frankly cost too damn much money to be placed at a level accessible by Little Fingers.

So I decide on a magentic notice board (a high up out of reach notice board), and go forthwith to our local DIY store to spend more of the weeks grocery money. And some paint. This is fast becoming a chain of expensive events, but no matter :: the outcome will be both pretty and practical :: a winning combination. Actually, the notice board and the paint combined costs less than half the price of the magnets, so I am quite pleased.

The notice board, as you can see, is plain and functional. It is no match for the gorgeous, desirable magnets, so I set to work giving it a suitable makeover.

I paint the wooden frame of the notice board using  a small tester pot of sky blue paint. I choose pretty fabric, sweet ribbon trim and some old vintage buttons to cover the magnetic bit. And I also employ this marvelous invention, of which I have a stash left over from my textile art days.

Its a little tricky actually ironing the fabric to the notice board, but I manage, I am determined.

I am really thrilled with my new magnetic notice board. I know the ribbon is a little wonky, and one of the pearl buttons fell off during the tricksy and rather brutal ironing process, but hey, it's got that authentic handmade quality which i find appealing.

And this is where the notice board now lives :: a little corner of the hallway reserved for "being organised". Note the calendar with vital dates and reminders, the hooks for keys, the wire heart which usually holds the days in-coming post. And on the shelf is a little shoe box I covered in pretty wallpaper (a rather large sample I managed to "aquire"), it holds shoe polish for that inevitable last minute pre-school removal of scuffs.

And while I had some paint to hand, I also gave a few wooden pegs a makeover, and strung them up on ribbon to make a small gallery for current Little People Artwork.

The noticeboard is currently doing sterling work and is already pretty much hidden behind school letters, reminders, party invites, business cards, telephone numbers.

Oh I do enjoy a pretty makeover, makes me feel all industrious and proud of myself.

Comments

[Bonnie Slager]

Lucy, I love this board! Awesome idea!

[Estelle]

I am also one of your silent readers. I stumbled across your blog accidentialy last week, and have been spending all my free time reading your blog from the very beginning (and noting down your mouth-watering recipes) :) When I saw this post I just had to stop and say hi and also to say how gorgeous your little magnets and noticeboard are. If only I could be as creative as you! Where did you get these gorgeous magnets from?
Estelle x

[julia]

Hello. I have been lurking here a while but today, I saw this tutorial and thought of you. http://allthingslovely.typepad.com/all_things_lovely/2008/11/cute-covered-magnets.html

[gardenymph]

Gorgeous! The colors just make me so happy. I love how you created something that goes so perfectly with the magnets that you found. Quite ingenious!

[kitschen pink]

Oh far too pretty for party invites and school reminders! Put those on the floor! I made one similar with a drab cork board but, much as I love bondaweb, it didn't occur to me to iron a pin board! I just used fabric spray glue (it did mean a bit of boring masking off around the painted frame). I keep mine in the workroom and have yet to fill it with anything as I enjoy looking at it too much. Not very useful methinks!! HA! t.xx

[Gill]

I love visiting you Lucy even though I don't always comment....and I should,I know, but I'm more of a listener than a talker so I guess if we met in real life you'd be chatting away and I'd be enjoying your company :)
Love the noticeboard, funnily enough I picked one up at a boot sale back in the summer and it's one of my projects to do this week while on half-term. I planned to give it a similar treatment with fabric and paint, hadn't thought of pretty magnets but you've given me an idea.......have a good week and a a huge THANK YOU for writing such a gorgeous blog.
Gill x

[Kathryn]

Dear Lucy,
Your notice board looks lovely. The magnets are stunning.
Kathryn
Kathryn in the Loft
Australia

[Natalie]

Great Job Lucy - the noticeboard looks great, I may have to copy that one! - Natalie x

[Josie-Mary]

Lovely magnets....what a great notice board :)

[Louise]

I am one of the silent readers, too! I came across your lovely blog a few months ago and enjoy catching up with your news. Your photos are always a delight to see and your new noticeboard is lovely. I promise not to be quite as silent in future...

[Andrea]

Hi, I LOVE that memo board! What a great job you have done! They would make perfect Christmas Pressies....if only the magnets were not quite so expensive!! x

[Anna]

bee-yootiful Luce, clever girl x

[do you mind if i knit]

Those magnets are like sweeties...................... delicious looking.................. But what you've done with that notice board is superb! I'm afraid my radar started to buzz, and I started to think............... now Lucy should be selling these on etsy! Just a suggestion................... What do you think?!!!!!

[Daisy Steiner]

They are some pretty magnets!

[Cele]

perfect :)

[Hen]

Hi Lucy,
Love your magnets and particularly your pinboard, you clever thing! I know well the "I went into the shop for X and I came out with Y which is three times as expensive and not something I actually needed at all" scenario!
Hen x

[simone]

The magnets are really unusual. They remind me of glass paperweights. Great job on the noticeboard. You have a really well organised corner of the hall!

[Sal]

Love the magnets!
I have an old notice board out in the garage ..you've just given me an idea!! ;-)

[Joanne]

Lucy what an amazing make over, love the fabrics and the magnets are beautiful even if you do have to starve for the rest of the week.

[Mrs Be]

Hi Lucy, lovely noticeboard and gorgeous magnets.
Deb x

[Lesley]

oo lovely makeover well done :-) half term here and I now have a pile of things I suddenly NEED to do and no time to do them! oh well roll on next week!
have a lovely wee if its half term for you too :-)
Lesley x

[Yvonne]

Great magnets and the notice board looks brilliant, love the fabrics you've used.
Yvonne x

[LittleGem]

Hi Lucy,
I have to admit I am one of your silent readers although I have commented a few times! The noticeboard looks absolutely gorgeous and the magnets are fab! Hopefully I will be commenting more often, I don't know why I don't as your posts are always great.
Gemma x

[kathy]

Hi Lucy, what lovely magnets and you have done a fantastic job on the noticeboard, really gorgeous. I love the fabric. I too hang up the boys' artwork which is in my kitchen covering a rather nasty RSJ. Really looking forward to meeting you at Country Living. Kathy PS I "called by" to your blog earlier but you werent in so to speak, and I love reading your daily blog - for me working from home I get rather lonely and believe me, your blog cheers me up; like a virtual friend! so ThaNkS