DIY Cork Board Map

Hello everyone!

Today I worked on an awesome project while I was at home with my mom who is recovering from surgery. I have ALWAYS wanted a cork board map where you pin the places you've been, but whenever I see them for sale online it costs SO much money. Being a college student, decorating a home gets super expensive. And who has money for that? Not me! So I decided to go onto Pinterest and look up DIY projects on a budget. Almost all of the ones I found costed at least $50-75, which is cheaper than ordering one online, but still not that cheap! So I decided to do some hunting. I found a 24" x 36" map on Target.com via Art.com that was $8.99. Everyone else I know paid at least $14 for their maps. I also have free shipping because I use a Target Red Card which also gives you 5% off too. So pretty much no tax or shipping! Next I went to Michaels to hunt for a frame that didn't look super cheap, but didn't cost me an arm and a leg. This was a few weeks ago when they had not a 40% off coupon but a 50% off. I got a frame that was usually $60 but was 50% off and then had an additional 25% off. The frame ended up costing around $22. The cork board was also at Michaels, and with a 40% off coupon it was only $7. The last thing I needed were the pins which costed around $2 with a coupon also. I did make two trips and brought my mom both times so we could each use a 40% off coupon, but it was worth it since I only spent less than $40 for everything I needed! I already had the glue gun so I had all my supplies! Here they are in a list format:

Glue gun and glue sticks
Craft glue
Paintbrush
Elmer's glue
Cork board
24" x 36" frame
Map
Push pins

First I flattened the cork board, since mine was rolled.

Then I took hot glue and glued the back piece of the frame to the cork. This took a little while since I had to do it in sections and then fill in the areas I missed.

Next I spread the craft glue with a paintbrush on all the edges in a two inch border and carefully rolled the map out placing books on the top to ensure a good stick.

After that I added 2 and 1/4" strips of grey paper across the bottom since my map had flags on it that I wanted covered. I put the whole thing into the frame and stabilized it with the back prongs. Last I added my scrabble letters that spell out "LIFE IS A JOURNEY".

TIP: Make sure you have a place to put the glass from the frame before hand. Like in your trashcan or a dumpster. I, on the other hand, snapped the glass and sliced open my finger. Not my finest moment. Luckily, no stitches were needed. Just a nice big gauze wrap and my hand above my head with ice for half an hour. 

TA-DA! My finished product! I think it turned out great! Even with the setback ;). Once we move I will add pins! One color for places I have been, one color for places Madi has been, and one color for places we have been together!

I hope you all enjoy my map! I am working on a few other projects that I will upload here and to my Pinterest when I finish. And of course once we move and I have the room complete I will be uploading those picture also :). I hope you all try your own map! Give it your own touches like my scrabble letters. Get creative! Check out my new Pinterest button on the right hand side and follow me!

Thanks for reading :)
- Olivia