Menu Boards and Fat Quarters

Ok, as a budget conscious homemaker menu planning is my primary tool for money saving. I plan my menu based on the coupons that I have and what's on sale this week. My "menu" is usually written on a magnetic grocery list on the side of the fridge. 

The problem:
1. My toddler loves to color on the notepads as I am trying to write my menu. 
2. I often forget some of the dishes that we don't make very often which means they continue to not be made very often. 
3. If our week changes, my written menu doesn't change to adjust. 

There are a TON of menu board ideas on Pinterest and I have pinned many of them. But what will fit my needs, work with my budget and look nice in the kitchen my husband and I painstakingly renovated this past winter? 

The Pins:

 http://pinterest.com/pin/265008759294977960/

1. This pin comes from Sugar Doodle (Right). It is so amazingly organized and I love the color coding, but that takes a lot of things that I didn't have at home. I also tend to be more general in my menu, especially the sides. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/265008759294452686/

2. This pin comes from Sarah Potter Photography (Left).  I loved the simplicity of this menu board! And the mini clothes pins are FABULOUS!! 



3. This pin came from Shugabee Lane's Etsy Shop (Below). This concept worked with what I had at home. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/265008759293484611/

My Solution: 
Alright, so my solution used a combination of things that I already had at home plus 2 small purchases. 

Supplies: 
- frame with glass that I already had
- Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations System - We used this to finish the cabinets in our kitchen when we recently remodeled. I absolutely love the way our cabinets turned out!
- Leftover glass tiles from back splash
- Scrapbook paper
- Ribbon scraps

Purchases: 
- A fat quarter that coordinated with my kitchen
- Mini clothes pins

The Process: 
1. Refinished the frame to match our cabinets. This would be easily done with spray paint. 
2. Peel away backing from glass tiles and attach to frame with E600.
3. Iron the flat quarter and put it between the backing and glass. (I added a little bit of ribbon around the outside and down the middle.)
4. Write in the days of the week. I used permanent marker. If you use dry erase markers on glass it comes off too easily for what I wanted. But, have no fear, permanent marker wipes off glass with a little water if you have an oops.
5. Attach mini clothes pins to left of ribbon down the middle using hot glue.
6. Cut scrapbook paper for menu cards and write down your favorite meals. 

THE FINAL PRODUCT:

Right now, I have my menu cards stored in an old baby food container.

I am loving my new Menu Board! It is so much easier to adjust the menu for the week for those things that always come up, like an invite to dinner with friends! I also like to have a "clear the fridge" day. Being home with my daughter for lunch most days and rarely eating out during the week usually leaves us with quite a few leftovers by Friday. 

Thanks for stopping by my new blog and I hope to see you again soon!

Next up? Baby food containers and fabric scraps = homemade air fresheners!