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Vintage Washboard Memo

ByGail Wilson Published on Updated on
34 Comments

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I am sharing a vintage washboard memo project. Why? I’ve joined a group of bloggers doing themed projects, Thrift Store Décor! I’m so happy to be part of this wonderful group of multi-talented ladies!

And …. y’all know how much I love shopping at thrift stores.

thrift store decor makeover challenge

After some larger furniture projects lately, including my hall table and the recent waterfall dresser redo, it’s fun to have a small project to share with you.

 

Materials

  • Vintage Washboard (take a magnet with you to make sure it is magnetic-many are not)
  • Small Tin Basket
  • Small Hooks
  • Screws
  • Wire (I use 18 gauge)
  • Decorative magnets

 

Supplies

  • Paint
  • Pencil

 

Tools

  • Drill (bits)
  • Hacksaw (the screws of most hooks will be too long and need to be cut)
  • Needle Nose Pliers (to curl the wire)

 

thrift store vintage washboardI picked up this vintage washboard at my local Vendors’ Village a few weeks ago.

Right away, I knew I wanted to make a memo holder out of it. I saw many washboards that day, but many wouldn’t hold magnets on the metal.

To make it a versatile memo board, I wanted a place for keys and mail. I took the washboard to Hob Lob to pick up some accessories.

hobby lobby red metal tinAfter looking all over the store, I finally found the perfect red tin basket as the mail holder.

 

 

hobby lobby turquoise hooks relaime poppy paintI could not find red hooks, but that isn’t a problem when you have Poppy paint from Reclaim.

Paint Hooks to Coordinate With Vintage Washboard

painted red hooksI dabbled on a bit of paint with a cheap chip brush.

Drill Holes in Metal Basket

drill holes red tin basketWhile the paint was drying on the vintage washboard, I pre-drilled some holes in the red metal tin basket.

 

Drill Pilot Holes in the Vintage Washboard to Hold the Metal Basket

pre-drill holesI marked and drilled some holes for the basket on the bottom of the vintage washboard.

I drilled them at an angle to allow me room to get the drill in place to secure the screws.

 

Use a Hacksaw if the Hooks Are Too Long

hacksaw hook threadsThe threads on the hooks were too long, so I used a hacksaw to trim them. I didn’t use the washers and nuts on the back of the threads. I drilled holes in the sides of the washboard and screwed them in.

 

cut and curl wire hangerTo hang the vintage washboard, I drilled some holes in the top and used some rusty wire to thread through the holes.

 

curl wire hangerNeedle-nosed pliers were used to give a slight curl to hold the wire in place.

 

vintage washboard memo board MyRepurposedLife.comAren’t these tiny decorative clothespins cute? I bought them at Hob Lob. I have some of those super strong magnets stuck on the washboard, then placed the clothespins onto the super magnets. The tiny clothespins were held in place by the spring mechanism. EASY! I’ve learned a better way to use wire for displaying projects. A twisted wire handle looks so much nicer.

 

 

washboard memo board MyRepurposedLife.comHere’s a nice close-up of the vintage washboard memo board hanging on the fence with good lighting. Initially, I was going to do a chalkboard for the top, but after buying the red items, I wanted to leave the advertising in place. You could use some chalkboard contact paper if you wish to have a chalkboard feature.

 

 

vintage washboard memo organizer myrepurposedlife.com

Featured Here:

And here it is hanging on my plank wall. Do you love it? Isn’t it so practical?

See more great Thrift Store Projects from my friends!

Thrift Store Decorating Team

Petticoat Junktion

Domestically Speaking

Debbiedoos

Our Southern Home

Mom4Real

Bliss Ranch

Redhead Can Decorate

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

My Repurposed Life

I know you will love all the great projects above!

gail

Sharing my Vintage Washboard Memo over at Heartsie Girl’s Wordless Wednesday

If you love this project, see these other great Thrift Store Makeovers:

Easy iPad Stand or Tablet Holder

$2 Hexagon Table Makeover

Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.

34 Comments

  5. Hi Gail! I love the idea of getting together with friends and doing a project. How did yo go about starting the groups and meeting up? I don’t have too many friends who want to do this so I would like to somehow put up a post on Facebook but don’t want to truly open it up the masses. Any ideas?

    Reply

    1. Rebecca,

      This wonderful group of ladies are my online friends. My real life friends and I get together quite often, but they don’t enjoy the same things I do, so I do my crafting and DIY alone. I apologize for the confusion.
      I wish you luck finding some friends to be creative with. I’m always envious of those groups when I read about them.

      gail

  8. I love the vintage. Everything you make, create and up cycles you touch turn to awesome and amazing. I always open your posts and save alot of your project pictures for inspiration. I am going to check the rest of the blogs on this thrift store makeover group too!
    Katherine

    Reply

  10. SHUT UP!!! Gail this is GREAT!!! Thanks fo rthe links to the chip brushes. Looks like they are even less expensive than Harbor Freight. 🙂 I love this note board! Do you need my address to send it to me? lol :)))

    Reply

    1. Christina!

      I’m so happy you love it. 🙂 Those chip brushes? I use them over and over and over again. They are easy to clean, and once you’ve used them several times they don’t shed anymore. 🙂

      sorry… it’s hanging in my kitchen, you’ll have to find your own washboard and make it into a memo board. Just be sure it will hold magnets!

      I love your enthusiastic comment! it made my day!
      gail

  13. I do love it Gail, I have a couple of these that I have had for at least 40 years. I keep telling myself I’m going to do something with them, I guess now I will get busy and just do it. I think instead of memo pad in the basket I will keep clothes pins, sins I keep them in my laundry room and I can hang it on the clothes line I use to hang the things I don’t dry in the dryer. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply

  15. Hi Gail, and welcome to our fun group! We needed another repurposing redhead!!! Speaking of red-I love the “poppy” you used on your clever “Washboard Memo”. So darling, and cheap -the way I like it! Have a great day XO

    Reply

    1. Julie,

      My mom’s nickname for me was “redhead” until the day she died. I miss being called that by her. It’s a fond memory.

      yes, I was so happy how well that Poppy worked on those turquoise hooks.

      so happy to be in the group!

      gail

  17. This turned out so darned cute, I love being creative, but gain a lot of inspiration from seeing what others make.
    I would like to invite you to share your repurposed projects each week on Oh My Heartsie Girls WW!!

    Happy Valentines!
    Karren

    Reply

  20. I’m so happy to have you join Thrift Store Decor Gail. What a welcome addition you are. Now print out what I typed and hang it on your memo board, you know with some hearts on it for Valentines Day.

    Reply

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