Finally!

I’ve had a couple of these little clipboards I picked up at the dollar store for over 2 years.  I waited so long to cover them because for one thing, I wasn’t sure how to get the paper around the clip part and have it look good.  Once I learned how to solve my that, I purchased some Glossy Mod Podge and covered 2 of them!  Here is one in which I used one of my most favorite papers from SU!, Botanical Gazette (from the Occasions Mini 2011).

Here’s how I found out how to get the paper around the clip part – I was watching the TODAY show one morning and Martha Stewart was on showing this very thing!  I took a shot of the template she made, so I’ll share it with you, since a picture is worth a 1,000 words (it’s so much easier to see what she did than to explain!).  Brilliant – yes!

Here are a couple ridiculously amount of tips for covering your clipboard:

• Get your template ready, and make it about 3/8″ larger all the way around to accomodate the fold-over.  It looks like Martha’s clipboard is pretty flat, and it’s also that neutral shade of kraft, so you may not want/need to cover the back.  But my clipboard had this old-fashioned wallpaper look to it on both sides, so I definitley wanted to cover the back.  Once you have your template, try it out on another scrap piece of paper, lining it up to make sure it fits, and then cut out your pretty paper.
• The very thick patterned paper is not as easy to apply around the edges, but it will still work.  Speaking from experience here.
• Coat the back of your paper with an even coat of Mod Podge and apply to the clipboard, adding extra around any edges, if necessary.
• When smoothing the edges, I ended up using a thick paper towel to really help me push the edges down firmly.  It seemed to help my fingers not slip/stick so much.
• If covering the back, take a coordinating piece of paper and cut it so that it will cover the edges you’ve just folded over, but not quite to the edge of the clipboard.  Using a corner rounder punch, or scissors, round the edges for a finished look.  Apply this piece to the back.
• Smooth out any bubbles or unevenness as you apply the paper.
• Coat front side with an even coat of Mod Podge and let dry.  The area around the clip part is slightly more challenging to coat.  I did this area first, then held the clip up off the paper to coat the rest of the front.  I held it as long as I could while drying, then eventually I stuck a piece of adhesive backing just under the clip while the rest finished drying (click on photo below to enlarge).  This will keep the clip from sticking to the Mod Podge, but it won’t stick to the adhesive backing.  (Adhesive backing = the paper that stickers, postage stamps, and labels are stuck on.  I keep these old bits around for many uses!)  Once the front is dry, coat the backside as well. 

It’s really pretty easy.  Let me know if you end up covering your own clipboard!  Now I’m on the hunt for more inexpensive clipboards to cover.  Thanks for stopping by today!