This year I did the unthinkable – forgot my Mother-in-Law’s birthday. Yup. Legend. Remembering birthdays proves a bit difficult when one is living abroad AND has a huge family. So to rectify this situation I took to Pinterest to try and find myself a Birthday reminder solution!
I found two in fact, so I enlisted my friends Susie and Hannah to help me test them out. Craft Day with the girls!
Version 1: Birthday Reminder Photo Board
Hannah and Susie both chose to make the Birthday Photo Board. You will need to print off passport size photos of each friend/family member so this this is ideal for people who have a smallish family.
You Will Need:
- Long Wooden Plaque 6″ x 14″: $7.99
- Mini Wooden Clothes Pegs: $2.99
- Ribbon: $2.39
- Brush: $1.00
- Letter Stencil: $5.99
- Paint: $4.99
- Super Glue: $4.99
- Passport Size Photos of friends/family
- Lead Pencil and Eraser
- Long Wooden Plaque 6″ x 14″
Steps:
1. Paint your wooden plaque the desired colour. Regular craft paint is fine.
2. After your paint is dry, use a lead pencil to draw your letters onto your plaque using a letter stencil. Have an eraser handy! Centering the letters can be tricky, I suggest starting with the middle letter and working your way out.
3. Using a very fine brush, fill in your stenciled letters with a contrasting paint colour.
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Hannah decided only to paint the edge of her plaque
4. Cut your ribbon into 12 even strips – each ribbon represents a month. The length of your ribbon will depend on how many photos you want to attach.
5. Glue one end of each ribbon on the back of your plaque using superglue. Be sure to measure so each ribbon is spaced evenly along the board.
6. Print passport size photos of each friend or family member, then attach to the ribbon that correlates to their birthday month using mini wooden clothes pegs.
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Susie’s Birthday Board!
Version 2: Birthday Reminder Tag Plaque
I chose to make the Birthday Tag Plaque as my ribbons would have been a mile long with all my family members! This version is great for people with lots of birthdays to remember as you simply write a tag for each one.
You Will Need:
- Wood Plaque: $2.99
- Cardboard Tags: $1.49
- Paint: $4.99
- Brush: $1.00
- Stencil: $5.99
- Door/Drawer Handle: $2.00
- Thin Ribbon: $0.50
- Sharpie: $2.00
- Electric Drill
- Round Wood Plaque 6.5″x9.5″
Steps:
1. After your paint is dry, use a lead pencil to draw your letters onto your board using a letter stencil. Have an eraser handy! Centering the letters can be tricky, I suggest starting with the middle letter and working your way out.
2. Using a very fine brush, fill in your stenciled letters with a contrasting paint colour.
3. This next step will depend on what kind of handle you have. Mine required an electric drill. Measure to find the center of your board and make a mark using your lead pencil. Then drill straight through your board. Twist in your handle.
Drilling a while through the plaque to screw in the handle
4. Cut 15cm strips of ribbon for each birthday tag. The ribbon must be thin enough to be able to thread through the cardboard tags.
5. Using a sharpie, write the persons name, month and date of their birthday.
6. Hang the tags over the handle in the order of your friends/family birthdays. When one birthday is over, simply move the tag to the back.
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My Birthday Reminder Board – filled with tags!
Have fun!
Penny, Hannah and Susie! xo
