This is a slightly updated repost.
I knew, because the brilliant Queen Shenaynay told me so, that dry-erase markers work great on mirrors. You can write notes for your loved ones, reminders, memory verses, poems you're working on- you can even draw a funny mustache and wild eyebrows and glasses in the mirror and then stand and look at yourself all be-stachioed if that's what twists your transisters.
Ordinary glass works just as well, and this means that you can use any ordinary thrift shop picture frame with the glass still intact for a message board. Put any sort of craft paper or just plain white paper inside the frame if you like for background, use an old greeting card that you like (that's what I did here), or decorate it up real spiffy like they've done here at Mish Mash, which is where I got the idea for these cool DIY dry erase boards. Hers is purty. Mine took five minutes. I love crafts which have the versatility and practicality that allows them to be an outlet for brilliant, artistic creativity, (as in Mish-Mash's version), and equally doable by slacker moms without so much as an artistic fingernail- like me!
Make one for your house, make it for a gift, or use the idea on small picture frames for reusable place cards or identification tags for food at a special buffet or tea-party. So cute!
You could also print out calendar pages on the computer (sized to fit your frame, decorated to suit the month) to make a whiteboard calendar for every month to make a sort of appointment calendar to keep track of everybody- add family birthdays for a family pic.
Incidentally, White bathroom wallboard also makes a great dry erase board- we once purchased a piece about 4' by 8' and hung it on our dining room wall- gaining us a great, HUGE, dry erase board for just a few dollars.
And if dry-erase markers are too erasable for your tastes, consider a china marker or grease pencil
- these things wipe off, too, but it takes more than an accidental brush of your sleeve to do it. Use colors that match your home decor. Make these as gifts for college students- You could make it for about the cost of a dry erase marker if you reuse scrap papers or greeting cards, and find the pictures at thrift shops or yard sales. I never pay more than .50 for picture frames.
(Bonnet tip to the Frugal Ideas from the Parsonage blog for these and other crafty and cute ideas!)
This post linked at DIY, at a Soft Place to Land.and
Works for Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family. Pin It
What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWe have a friday fun finds party that's still going- we'd love it if you'd link up.
Great idea! Never would have thought of it. :)
ReplyDeleteNeat idea! :D I had no clue that you could make your own dry erase board! :D
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Sherry
This is such a great tip! I love my dry erase boards, but what a unique way to use the mirror! Hmmm! Happy WFMW!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tip!
ReplyDeleteThey also work on plain white plates - an elegant way to display a menu at a party. (Um, I've seen it in magazines. My parties tend to be the everyone grab whatever plate they can find variety.)
ReplyDeleteAnd Vis-a-Vis pens stay unless you wipe them with water.
This is a great idea! Thanks. Incidentally, however, my daughter wrote all over the mirror in her bedroom over her dresser and in the sunlight you can still see all the stuff she wrote. Her dad was SOOO mad. It was quite a pricey dresser and mirror set. Not a good thing. But, this might be a good creative alternative for her and keep her off the mirrors in her room!! :)
ReplyDeleteI like this idea a lot! I use dry erase boards often -- two large ones hang in our school room, and I have little ones for all kinds of other uses. I think the kids' bathroom mirror is their new location for the "to-do's" I think up for them!
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. We write on our mirrors often, and I can't see that it's left any permanent impression. Have you tried wiping them down with rubbing alcohol?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, I will use it to surprise my son and husband with warm fuzzies in the mornings. Bathroom mirrors, here I come!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until my children can read and I can do more of this! =) What a cool idea for a picture frame/message center.
ReplyDeleteAlso, dry erase markers work on clear contact paper which means you can cover any coloring page with contact paper and it is an instant reusable page.