French Vintage Magnet Board

I found this hanging sign at Marshall's a few months ago. I was so in love the vintage french feel of the ornate swirls, distressing and glitter! I had the intention of making it a chalkboard sign, but that's not what happened.

Then I got bit by the inspiration bug: Carmen @ Beyond the Fringe mentioned the live with prima videos on her post last week so I went to check them out. These videos are great learning tools, but be warned they are all an hour and a half plus!! If you are so inclined, you can find them at ustream.

The first video I watched did a kind of random quilt pattern decoupage and it got me wanting to try a more structured harlequin pattern.  But what to put it on?  It dawned on me that my intended chalkboard might be magnetic - and it is!  So rather than a chalkboard, I went for a magnet board.

Before I got the fun part I had to do some prep.  I soaked the paper with a sponge and I was able to easily get it off. I also used rubbing alcohol and a light sanding to get it really smooth. I know a lot of you are thinking "can't you just go over it?". Well, yes you can, but my neurosis just can't handle that. And it's so pretty all clean.

After finding yourself a magnetic base, you will only need mod podge and two sheets of pattern paper to make this project.  I just purchased Sure Cuts A Lot so I used it to cut a bunch of diamonds, but you can always do this with a ruler and xacto. I penciled on lines to mark the center point and starting laying out the diamonds and glueing them down with mod podge.

A little while later it was all done and I used a ruler and xacto knife to remove the excess paper to get a nice edge. Then I sealed it with two coats of mod podge.

I added this eiffel tower magnet that my husband found in his office at work.  Who could leave such a fantastic magnet behind?

The prima videos also demonstrate how to alter their flowers a lot and I am thinking that maybe I want to add some flowers to the corners of the board. I'd also like to make some magnets for it so you may be seeing this project again.