Fridgeless Picassos

It has truly been a week I would like to forget...#2 had some sort of funky illness that lasted 5 days and I literally have been mired down in germs and antibiotics to last a lifetime.....but there was one day of creativity!
After what seems to be an endless amount of school work coming home from the first few weeks of school, there is always the question of what to keep and what to toss. The problem I have is that I have nowhere to display these works of art.What if my kid is a Picasso, Rembrandt or Monet?? Who would discover their talent in the bottom of my Rubbermaid trash can or the dusty office box hidden in my closet? NOBODY!! Another issue is my refrigerator is stainless and as most of you probably know, there is no place to stick cute fridge magnets. What a dillema right?
So while searching my newest obsession "Pinterest", I found the solution...check out this adorable Kids Art Display at A Little of This, a Little of That...So stinking cute. I loved it and thought this is my answer.

Well off to find my supplies and this is what I came up with:

1x8 board (cut in half)
paint (unfortunately don't make the mistake and use enamel paint..it makes a disgusting gooey mess that you will be struggling with for about 2 hours.)
sandpaper(again, gooey, nasty mess when trying to weather)
clips (I used drapery hooks, because I had 6 packs that I have had for about 3 years and never used, plus, I couldn't leave #2 to go to Walmart)
Wood glue (thank goodness hubby is a contractor)
Beer tabs or Soda can tabs (umm...I'll let you guess which one's I used...hey, don't judge!!!)
Screws
Lettering (optional, but you know how I have a love affair with my Cricut)

So here is what I did:

Spray paint your board.

And here is the dreaded Enamel paint...ruh roh!! What can I say I was punch drunk from being in the house so long..

The legendary .09 clips I have had for 3 years!!

The board after being weathered with sandpaper...I also whitewashed it and used a lacquer over the top...I had to do something to make the sticky enamel look better...IT WORKED!

Space your clips...if I make another one, I think I would space them out a little more...

Glue them on with wood glue.... Add some Cricut lettering and this is what you get...
I love it, it is perfect for displaying their art work and fits in great with our decor!! Now, what I didn't take pics of was the way I added hangers....I used the tabs from (ahem) my cans and glued them on with wood glue, then added a screw on top of that and it is perfect for hanging....yay me!!!

This is probably my favorite project ever...not bad for a few hours of creativity in a sea of germs, snot and sweaty feverish hell!!