It’s time to get those creative muscles in gear! DI-Fridays are back and our first project for Year Three is as whimsical as it is functional!

One thing I’ve noticed becoming increasingly popular in stores over the last few years on craft supply trips has been memory boards. With a range of styles and ways to attach photos, cards, and more, these boards are a great way to keep some of your favorite memories on display in a special place. And with so many ways to go about them, you can easily make one all your very own!
The first thing I did was decide what type of board I wanted to make and how my pictures, etc., would be attached. There are some super cute versions that allow you to tuck your photos and such beneath criss-crossed ribbon, and others with strips of twine that you can pin your stuff to. For mine, though, I knew I wanted to use a large picture frame with chicken wire that I would be able to use little clothespins that I already had on hand for attaching. I’d used similar memory boards in the past with great success, and wanted to be able to customize the frame as much as I could.
Now if you don’t have empty picture frames lying around for craft projects (which, surprisingly, we didn’t), you can scope out local thrift and antique shops for cost-effective solutions. Another great place, and where I found the frame I used in this project, is the clearance section of your local craft store. Many craft stores offer custom framing services with several sized frames on hand, and I found this one clearanced out because it had a few nicks and scrapes around the edge. (If they only knew what I had in store for it! Muahaha!)

I’ll tell you now, though, if you’re able to get a singular piece of chicken wire that covers the entirety of your frame, go for that! I was able to find a roll of craft chicken wire that just fit the frame’s dimensions and would only need to be cut once. I’m still happy with the result, as you’ll see, but flattening the tightly rolled chicken wire was quite the challenge as was attaching the two pieces to form one (though really, once the piece is in use, the backing won’t really be seen, so it’s not as big of a deal for this particular project).
I knew I wanted to give my memory board a magical vibe, so I did a deep dive in our craft supplies to see what I already had on hand. Thankfully I found plenty of items in our crafting arsenal that fit the bill (gems, charms, and even some moss!), and from there I went to town getting everything assembled.
I started with attaching the chicken wire to the back side using a staple gun. You’ll definitely want to exercise your best judgement whenever using any kind of industrial tools and a word of caution here – I tried to attach the wire to a thinner part of the frame and totally blew out the front. After a brief moment of panic thinking that I’d ruined the whole frame, though, I remembered that I’d planned to include a variety of moss, so would easily be able to cover it up. (Spoiler Alert: I was right.)
When the chicken wire was in place, I went about placing the moss and the stones, which I’d envisioned as being representative of the magic creeping from the frame. After that, I attached a few decorative charms on the corners and an owl on the top to oversee everything. For a finishing touch of whimsy, I glued a few spiral paper clips that I’d unwound into holes I’d made with a hammer and nails.

My plan with this board was to display it by either leaning against a wall or resting on a few detachable wall hooks; the frame itself doesn’t have a hanging apparatus. But if you want yours to do that, there are kits you can buy at craft stores that will easily take care of that for you! You’ll just want to make sure that the chicken wire is as flat as possible and sits as flush to the frame as you can get it to avoid any wall scratches or damage.
One thing I kept having to remind myself while working on this project was that while the frame was the focus as I was working on it, its intended purpose was to showcase pictures, cards, etc. I wanted to be sure that the board wouldn’t distract from anything I’d eventually be displaying on it so I erred on the side of restraint (I know! Me! Who’d have thought!), and I’m so glad I did because I absolutely love how it turned out! This memory board has every bit of the whimsy and magic I had hoped it’d have when I first envisioned it, and is the perfect place to display some of my favorite Halloween memories.
As I mentioned before, one of our overall goals with Year Three’s DI-Friday projects was to make things that were both spooky and functional while trying our hands at new crafting techniques… and I’d say this first project was a resounding success! This Magic Memory Board is a simple DIY at heart and carries a big impact that’ll stand the test of time. I hope you’re inspired to get crafting as this Halloween season gets underway and cannot wait to share the projects we’ve got in store with you over the next few weeks! Happy Crafting!











ARGH! I just threw away a large frame because the glass broke years ago. I held on to it for the longest time, thinking I’d find a use for it. Then, a few weeks ago, I got bold and threw it away. AND NOW I NEED IT BACK! hahahaha! This makes the case for hoarding! 🙂 Happy Halloween! I love your resources!
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Haha oh no!! That always happens to us, too – we wind up getting rid of stuff *just* before we need it! 😂 Happy Halloween to you, too! Glad to have you with us this season!! 💜🎃
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