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Vintage Washboard Memo

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How to: Vintage Washboard Memo

I’ve joined a group of bloggers that have been 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 Wash Board (take a magnet with you to make sure it is magnetic-many are not)
  • Small Tin Basket
  • Small Hooks
  • Screws
  • Wire (I use 18 guage)
  • 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 a few weeks ago at my local Vendors’ Village. I don’t even remember if I showed it to you.

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

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

hobby lobby red metal tinI looked all over the store, and finally found the perfect red tin basket to be the mail holder.

 

*affiliate links help support My Repurposed Life, but don’t cost you any extra money*

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

 

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 hangerFor hanging the washboard, I drilled some holes in the top and used some rusty wire threaded through the holes.

 

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

 

vintage washboard memo board MyRepurposedLife.comAren’t these small decorative clothespins cute? I bought them at Hob Lob. I have some of those super strong magnets stuck on the washboard, then simply placed the clothespins onto the super magnets.The small clothespins were held in place by the spring mechanism.  EASY!

 

 

washboard memo board MyRepurposedLife.comHere’s a nice close-up of the vintage washboard memo board hanging on the fence with some good lighting. Orignally I was going to do a chalboard 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 want a chalkboard feature.

 

 

vintage washboard memo organizer myrepurposedlife.com

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

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ABOUT GAIL WILSON - A teacher at heart, Gail Wilson relishes the chance not to show off her projects, but to help others find their inner handywoman, step-by-step. Her blog, MyRepurposedLife.com, chronicles her scrap-saving adventures and has been featured on countless DIY magazines and websites, including Women’s Day, Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. She is a longtime influencer for both Homeright and Gorrilla Glue. With a tribe of more than 450,000 followers, Gail is inspiring a new generation of DIYers to pick up some tools and get to work.

Reader Interactions

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

    • 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

      Reply

  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

    • 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

      Reply

  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

  14. I found one exactly like this yesterday 2/9 at our Goodwill Store, Has never been used. I love your ideas for it.

    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

    • 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

      Reply

  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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