How to Make a DIY Magnetic Message Board

Are you in need of a message center, grocery list board, or a supply organizer?  This DIY magnetic message board is perfect for you!

I needed a place to write down what I have in my freezer; everything that was lurking in the crevices and cold dark corners.  We have a small, tight freezer which makes it hard to find things, and even harder to remember what might be in there. Things kept disappearing, and I had three bags of mixed vegetables because I couldn't ever remember if I had some left.  Enter this magnetic message board!  I knew it would be perfect to organize into categories and keep track of the food we had in our freezer.  It also gave me the perfect excuse to clean out the freezer--goodbye 2 year old vanilla ice cream.

I have my magnetic message board stuck to the side of my refrigerator.  It's the perfect spot for it because it isn't visible and messy looking, but it's still right next to the freezer.  Because the message board is in a tight spot I used wet erase markers instead of dry erase--I pull it out often and I was worried everything would end up rubbing off.  And that would just create a bigger headache than the freezer!

DIY Magnetic Message Board and Freezer Organizer

Supplies
1 small dry erase board
4 magnets
Ultra Control Gel Loctite super glue
washi tape
wet erase markers

1. If the opposite side of your dry erase board is glossy, use sandpaper to roughen the surface. Wipe the board clean of the dust with a damp paper towel.  Allow to dry completely.
2. Apply 3 to 4 dots of super glue to one of the magnets. 
   
3. Firmly press the magnet onto one of the corners of the boards back.  Hold for about 10 seconds.  Repeat with the remaining 3 magnets in the other corners. Allow glue to dry and set for 5 minutes. 
4. Using a thin piece of washi tape wrap the outside of the magnets.  Not only is this cute, but it will keep the magnets from scratching your fridge!  If the edges are longer than your magnets fold them to the middle.  
   
5. Plan the layout of your board with a piece of paper and a pencil.  Define categories, how much space you need, etc. 
6. Use washi tape to divide the areas of your board.  Washi tape is great because you can easily remove and re-stick it.  
   
7. Your message board is finished! Make lists and write notes with wet erase markers.  

Notes

• Wet erase markers are less prone to wiping off than dry erase markers.  They're perfect for tight spaces and curious fingers.  Feel free to use dry erase markers if that's what you prefer. 
• Use washi tape as much or as little as you need.  I actually thought I would use more, but ended up using the marker to divide some spaces. 

I love having an organized place to see what is in our freezer without having to hold the door open for 10 minutes.  I can also see this being used as a grocery list on the fridge, stuck to the side of a filing cabinet to list its contents, or in a crafting are to keep track of the supplies. 

Where would you put a magnetic message board?  Do you have any great ideas about how to use one?

How to Clean and Care for a Wood Cutting Board

My best friend in the kitchen is my giant wooden cutting board.  It's literally huge, and I literally use it every time I cook.  My cutting board has his own spot on the counter-right between the stove and the sink.  It is the perfect prep spot and the cutting board let's me do all my work in one spot.

After!

I use my cutting board to chop and, for gathering my mis en place, and as a general spot to sit anything and everything.  I also use him as a back drop for food photos, and occasionally as a hot pad. 

As a result of all this hard work my cutting board was in need of a deep cleaning and an oiling.  (He was getting kind of grungy.)

Follow these steps for a great looking and working wooden cutting board.  If you take good care of the cutting boards they should last a really really long time.  

How to Clean and Care for A wooden Cutting Board

Author: Happy Food Happy Home

Supplies

Wooden Cutting Board

220 grit sandpaper

sanding block

Lemon

Kosher Salt

Coconut Oil

Paper Towels or a clean dry cloth

1. Optional-If needed use the sanding block and sandpaper to sand the surface of your cutting board.  Sanding will help remove stains, buff out knife scratches, and smooth the surface of your cutting board.  Don't try to be perfect--you might end up with an uneven surface; just lightly sand the surface. Use a damp paper towel to wipe off the sawdust.
2. Cut the lemon in half.  Pour a teaspoon of salt onto the surface of the cutting board. Use the lemon half to scrub the salt into the cutting board, focusing on stains.  Cover the surface of the cutting board with the lemon juice-salt mixture.  Flip the board over and repeat on the other side with an additional teaspoon of salt.  Let the cutting board sit for approximately 5 minutes.
3. Thoroughly rinse the cutting board and allow it to air dry completely.
4. Using your hands massage about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil into each side of the cutting board.  Flip the board over onto a towel before doing the second side.  Let the board sit overnight to allow it to absorb all the oil it can. 
5. After its overnight soak use paper towels to buff the excess coconut oil off of the board. If your board is dry, repeat the coconut oil massage and allow to sit again.   

Your board is ready for use!  To keep clean day to day rinse your cutting board after every use.  If you cut meat on your wood surface use soap to wash before using with other ingredients. Allow board to dry out between washings-if the board gets water inside it may crack. 

You can oil your board once or twice a month, or you can wait longer. Just follow steps 2-6 for a great looking wooden cutting board.  My cutting board was really overdue for a good cleaning and oiling, but looks wonderful now!  I would recommend only sanding about once a year-if you sand too often there won't be anything left of your cutting board!

Just a note:  I bought my wooden cutting board at a kitchen supply store.  It was cheap-only 15 dollars-but a little rough.  I did an initial sanding to smooth out the roughness before I ever started using it.  After sanding it was as smooth as butter and functions just as well as a 100 dollar cutting board. 

I Heart You Maps

I knew I needed something gushy romantic to give to Dustin for our anniversary, and the Spring Pinterest Challenge brought to us by Sherry, Katie, Emily, and Renee gave me the perfect motivation.  I loved the idea of using maps to commemorate important places to us.

I saw hearts made out of maps, and while I loved the idea of using real maps, I didn't like the possibility of tracking down maps that were zoomed in enough to cut out hearts the size I wanted.

So I got creative! By using Google Maps I was able to get the places exactly where I wanted, and the resulting images were clean and modern. I loved them, and Dustin did too!

Here's the tutorial to make your own I Heart You Maps!

Supplies

• picture frames
• photo editing software (I used Photoshop elements)

1. Go to Google Maps and zoom in on the location you want. Use your computer to take a screen capture of the map.  Remember to make it wide and tall--you have to fit a heart onto it!

2. Save the image to your computer and open in your photo editing software.

3. In Elements create a new image the size you want (mine is 5x7).

4. Drag your map image into your blank canvas. This will create a new layer. Adjust your layer to roughly fit on the blank image. It doesn't need to fit exactly because you're going to make a heart!

5. Create a new layer. Use the custom shape tool to make a heart. Make it as big or as little as you want! 

6. Arrange the order of the layers so the heart is below your map. 

7. Select the Map layer and open the Layers Menu.  Click "Create Clipping Mask," and you will have a heart!

8. You can adjust your background color and move your map until you're satisfied with your image. Then print and frame them!

I would suggest if you're going to create multiple maps to copy the heart layer into each new image. This makes sure the heart is the same size. Or you can just replace the map layer in your original -just make sure to save each one! 

I love our heart maps! They're a great way to commemorate where we've been! They always make me happy when I look at them. So create your own heart maps!

If you made I Heart you maps where would your maps show? Where you vacationed as a family? Where you first met? Tell me in the comments!