Piece of Art Bulletin Board DIY ~ Stencil It Pretty

DIY Piece of Art Bulletin Board

From school classrooms to workplaces, to kitchens, and even living room spaces bulletin boards are an organizational staple. While shopping for a bulletin board to hang above my home office desk, I was shocked to discover how much this office essential can fetch from retailers. And if you happen to find one with embellishments or a frame? Forget it! Therefore, when I came across these 100% natural self-stick cork panels, I was more than thrilled! At $14 per pack of four 12"x12" panels, I simply could do no wrong!

Since my bulletin board was going to take center stage on my office wall, I knew I didn't want it to be bland and boring. Therefore, why not make it into a piece of art? Surely, a Fleur De Lis accent would pull my office decor up a notch and make it a striking focal point.

DIY Project: Piece of Art Bulletin Board

Supplies:
•  Quartet Cork Panels, Self-heal, 12''x12'', 4 per Pack, Natural
•  Basic StencilPro Starter Kit
•  StencilPro Standard 8.5"x11" Sheets 2 Pack
•  Jacquard or any other brand screen printing ink in color of your choice
•  Painter's tape

My artwork for this project can be downloaded from StencilItPretty Freebies section.

1.  I started out by printing my design on 4 sheets of transparency (one segment of Fleur De Lis printed on transparency per cork panel). Transparency is included with StencilPro Starter Kit or you can purchase it separately: InkJet transparecy or LaserJet; alternatively transparency can be purchased from your local office supply store.

2.  Following the manufacturer's instructions, I have made the StencilPro stencils by exposing each piece of artwork printed on transparency and sheet of StencilPro film to light, then washing the stencil using tap water and air drying.

Fleur De Lis Transparency and StencilPro Stencils are Ready for Printing

3. To help visualize the completed project, I laid out all four cork panels on the table and matched each segment of the Fleur De Lis stencil with each panel.

Fleur De Lis StencilPro Stencils and Cork Panels Laid Out on Table

StencilPro Stencils and Cork Panels Laid Out on Table for Visualization

4. Then using painters tape, I taped all four sides of the StencilPro stencil. Tape made the stencil edges more rigid; it was also helpful in keeping the stencil firmly attached to the surface of the cork panel for printing.

Painters Tape on All Four Sides of StencilPro

Painters Tape Taped to All Four Sides of StencilPro Stencil

5. Using a plastic palette knife, I put a generous bead of Jacquard paint onto the stencil (avoiding open parts of the design on the stencil), then spread it across the top of the stencil in a thin line.

Print Fleur De Lis with StencilPro Stencils on Cork Panels

6.  Holding a squeegee at 45 degree angle, I printed the design onto the cork panel.

7.  Following the same steps, I printed the rest of the cork panels.

8.  After the paint has dried, I hung the cork panels using self adhesive strips (these come with the set) side by side for a uniform look.

Completed Piece of Art DIY Bulletin Board on the Wall