How to Make a Ribbon Memory Board

Permanently display some of your photos on a ribbon memory board.

A ribbon memory board provides a constant visual display of life's important moments. Make a memory board in a very short time and at minimal expense. Needed materials such as fabric and ribbon may even be obtained from items you already have around the house. Craft sales and outlets may also prove an economical source for the needed items. These costs are minimal compared to commercially available boards such as those sold at home decor outlets.

Things You'll Need

• 1 medium- to large-sized framed and stretched art canvas
• 1 sheet of cotton batting slightly larger than the canvas frame
• Staple gun
• Iron
• Fabric slightly larger than frame
• Tape measure
• Coordinating ribbon, eight times the diagonal length of the frame
• 10 sharp, decorative brads
• 10 decorative buttons or other small embellishment (optional)
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

1. Lay the cotton batting out on a flat surface. Lay the canvas frame upside down on top of the batting. Stretch the batting taut, fold it over the back of the frame, and secure it to the wood frame with the staple gun.

2. Iron fabric then lay it out on a flat surface, front side facing down. Place the batting covered frame in the center of the fabric. Stretch the fabric taut, fold it over the back of the frame, and secure it to the wood frame with the staple gun.

3. Use the tape measure to find the exact center of the fabric-covered canvas. Cut two pieces of ribbon three inches longer than the diagonal length of the frame. Place these to form an X shape on the board by crossing them at the exact center of the board and pushing a brad through them.

4. Turn the board over and fold the ribbon ends to the back of the frame. Secure all four ribbon ends in the corners of the frame with the staple gun. Turn the board back to the front side.

5. Find the center point of each edge of the frame. Cut four more lengths of ribbon long enough to reach from the middle of the top edge to the middle of each side edge as well as ribbons to reach from the middle of the bottom edge to the middle of each side edge. Push a brad through the front of the fabric board where each ribbon crosses another.

6. For added embellishment, hot glue decorative buttons, sequins or jewels to the top of each brad. Additional embellishments of a much smaller size may be hot-glued to the ribbon for greater embellishment. Utilize the board by placing pictures and souvenirs under the ribbons to secure and display them.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase extra long, sharp brads found with scrap-booking supplies.

• If you use a very large frame, you may wish to repeat steps 5 and 6 to divide the large sections you create into smaller sections with additional ribbon

References

• Redeco: French memory boards