Altered Clipboard

If you've never made an altered clipboard, you just have to give it a try. They are so fun to make. I have made a gazillion of them! :)
First thing you do, is choose 2- 12x12 coordinating patterned papers. Take a piece of STRONG wire & run it through the holes, to hold the clip open. (Be careful! If the clip snaps shut, it will hurt like heck!) Fold a couple small pieces of scotch tape & stick on the board. This will help hold your paper in place. Lay your paper onto the clipboard, under the clip, as far up as you can go. Flip your clipboard. Take an Exacto knife & trim all the way around the board.

Cut 2 pieces of your coordinating paper, to fit the top edge of your board. Put a small piece of rolled scotch tape on it, to hold it in place.



Take your finger nail & make a crease along the metal edge, so you know where to cut with your knife.
After you have trimmed around the metal, flip the board & use your knife to round the corners.





Do the same thing to the backside of your clipboard.






Cut a piece to fit on the top of the backside. If you lay the piece of paper on the board & rub your thumb over the metal rivets, it will make an impression on the backside of the paper. This will help you to know where to punch the holes. I used a 1/2" circle punch. If you don't have anything like that, just cut out the metal rivet area with your knife.
Flip the board over & trim up the edges with your knife. Carefully take all the pieces off your board, front & back. Remove the tape.



Spread Mod Podge, evenly, all over the front- side of your board. You will have to work quickly before it dries. Lay your paper on the board, starting at the top. Just like wallpapering, smooth out the wrinkles as you go. Some of the little wrinkles may not smooth out. Usually they go away when it dries. Do the same to the back-side.
Sometimes your paper will stretch when it gets wet. If this happens, trim with your knife.



Take a nail file & smooth the edges. I like the Shabby-Chic look, so I rough them up pretty good. Do this to both sides, all the way around. If you want to add an image over top of your paper, this is the time to do it. I added the letters of a friends name & D2D's "Luck Bird" to the front of mine. Let dry.




Cover the entire front & back with Mod Podge. Let dry completely. I hang them in my laundry room for at least 8 hours for the first coat. I usually put 3 coats on. 8 hrs between the 1st & 2nd, 2 hrs between the other. It really depends on how thick your paper is. If you rush it, the finish will be sticky.




After it has dried, you can add ribbons, buttons, whatever! Hope my directions didn't completely confuse you. :{
Hope you give it a try. :)






I am entering my project @The Crafty Pad- use ribbons
Thanks for stopping!