DIY :: Dry Erase Picture Frame

So I know these dry-erase picture frames are all over the blogosphere, but I decided to go ahead and try making one or two myself. These are fabulous because you use a dry-erase marker and you have a cute "notepad" that you can use over and over. Just keep a cloth nearby and erase and rewrite as you need.

I wanted one to write "To Do" lists on that could sit on my desk and be easily accessible, and one to write Scripture on to hang right above my computer - I have been working on memorizing more Bible verses and thought this might help :)

These really are easy and quick to make. All you need is:

- An old wooden picture frame with the glass and backing still intact

- Paint (I used acrylic)

- A paintbrush

- Paper cut down to the size of the viewable area in the frame. Keep in mind to use a light colored pattern, otherwise it will be difficult to read what you write on the glass. The papers I chose had lines on them to help keep my writing straight

- Dry erase marker and a piece of cloth

I began by taking the glass and backing off and then painting the frames.

I painted the small frame blue and wanted to paint the larger frame white. Umm yeah. It became an epic fail. The frame had grooves where the paint would.not.go. (at least not with the foam brushes I was using) and it looked awful.

Since I was on a time crunch trying to get them painted, dried, put together and photographed during nap time, I decided to try and paint over it with brown paint. Wow. It made it even worse because the white paint was not yet dry, haha.

So I then tried to wash the paint off in the sink. Ha. It came right off - with lots and lots of scrubbing (and I now need a new dish scrub brush ;)).

I decided to leave the frame as the plain (distressed) wood and ended up liking it that way instead of trying to paint it.

I love how they turned out. I love that I can now just glance up from my computer and read, re-read and memorize a verse and then change it. And I can quickly jot down items and erase items on my to-do list frame without worrying about keeping up with a little piece of paper.