For years now I've had a plain framed cork-board in my kitchen for posting up bills and cards and other bits and pieces. And it was ugly. Useful, but ugly. So I gave it a little spruce up.
It was really easy. Here's what I did:
1. Paint the wooden frame of the cork board with your first coat of acrylic craft paint. This colour will form the cracks. In my case, I used white. For each coat of paint, stick a bit of scrap paper into the gap between the frame and the cork to keep from painting the cork (if that matters to you). Let dry.
2. Coat the frame with a crackle medium which is available at craft stores like Hobbycraft (UK) and Michael's (US & Canada). Follow the instructions from the manufacturer but generally, the thicker the coat, the larger the cracks will appear. Let dry.
3. Paint the frame with your top coat (in my case it was black). Don't use too many brush strokes to apply this coat as you'll make a mess of the crackle effect. Let dry.
4. Apply two coats of spray varnish (spray outside please- a chemical high isn't all it's "cracked" up to be). A spray varnish is easier and faster, but it also keeps the cracks from cracking right off. Let dry.
5. Cut a piece of fabric (I used quilting cotton) 1/2" larger than the cork surface. Tuck the raw edges of the fabric under the frame of the cork board with a flat head screw driver.
Like the idea of a decorative corkboard to pin up bills or maybe as an inspiration board in your studio? Here's a few more ideas for decorating cork boards:
Here's a version that uses criss-crossing trim instead of push pins.
Thisidea uses mementos or kids notes and bits and pieces to decorate the board.
Here Martha Stewart suggests inserting cork into the panel of a door which would save wall space.
Watch this video to see how to make a cork board by recycling wine corks. This video has the added benefit of featuring some lovely man candy which we don't nearly enough of in the craft world! Although I think my hubby is the most delicious man in the world, this guy is very easy on the eyes.
See what I mean? Yummy.