Magnetic Menu Boards as Gifts – And Some New Ideas!

Because I’m <this> close to experiencing death by cookies today (it’s almost over…I’ll be moving on to death by other things very soon!), I thought I’d show you something that isn’t a cookie.

…isn’t even really edible.

…but isn’t it sweet?

This is the first of the winners’ menu boards that I made. Janet over at Today’s Fabulous Finds has a pretty traditional decorating style in her kitchen and loved the paper and color choices I had used for my own board, so we tweaked the design only just slightly, and came up with this one.

I liked it so much I kinda’ hated to ship it off! But I didn’t think I could fool her by sending mine instead. What with the custom menu items and all?

After I made Janet’s, I wanted to try out something I’d been toying with in my head. So, for the next one I made, I decided to add a place to write a shopping list on the back. I found this magnetic sheet with vinyl on the front (at Michael’s – used my coupon, of course):

It comes in a 24”X12” sheet, and I had a hunch it would be perfect for this purpose. I cut it into a 12”X6” piece to put down the center of the sheet metal on the back of the frame, leaving space on either side for spare menu tags.

Dry erase marker wipes right off of it!

(Of course, you could cut it to the full size of the sheet metal if you wanted. The tabs will stick to the vinyl sheet!)

To me, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a white board without a dry erase marker, but I didn’t think this one was very attractive:

…so I Mod Podge-d (?) some matching paper onto it, whipped a bow on there, and added some glitter polka dots. And, of course, a magnet on the back.

Now we’re ready to make our shopping list while we’re doing our menu planning!

Here’s a couple more menu boards I’ve made in the past few weeks, just to show you the versatility & options.

This first one is so much fun! For some reason, it makes me think of Miami.

…and I fell in love with this saying the moment I thought of it, “what’s hot in Cowgirl’s kitchen?” (or Grandma’s kitchen…whatever.)

…but we have a problem. The more of these I make, the less I like my own. I might end up having to remake mine! (Or I might just keep this one.)

update 2/19/11: I made this one for the giveaway winner over at I’m An Organizing Junkie. I’ve secretly been dying to make one in this color scheme, so I was so excited when Shannon suggested it for hers:

Still working on a few new concepts for the menu board...stay tuned!