Every week, I make a menu for the upcoming week’s meals. I make my grocery list based on those meals and then post what the choices are for the week. It’s a great way to stay on budget and be organized at the same time. I’ve always used a chalkboard to post the menu for my family, but thought it would be really fun to make a board using some vintage plaster pin letters I found recently at an estate sale, rather than writing it out each week. And, a bonus is that I moved the chalkboard to the front porch for messages and greetings. I love how tidy the new menu board looks.
To make it, I purchased a new cork board and a tiny can of spray paint. I also went to my fabric stash and selected a fabric that I liked for this project.
I spray painted the frame (covering the inner corkboard with newspaper first). After the paint dried, I cut the fabric about 1/4″ bigger than the cork, all around, and pushed it under the painted frame. I used my stovetop scraper to push the fabric under the frame, but a thin, dull knife would work well too. I made sure all edges were snugly tucked under the frame.
And now, we’re all set!
IT'S ME, SERENA!
I bounced through the first years of my life in a hippie gypsy wagon, hand-built by my father, wandering the back roads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. My family eventually settled into a tiny cabin in the woods on property that was once inhabited by Native American Indians.
I spent my childhood days searching for arrowheads, teaching myself to sew on a treadle sewing machine and to bake in a wood-burning stove, with no running water, refrigeration, or electricity in our home. My family lived frugally and early on, inspired by my parent’s thriftiness and style, I gained a knack for thrifty creativity and turning ordinary objects into something useful. And I dreamed of the home I would create for my own family someday.
Now I’m married to my husband, Colin, and our children are all grown. After 24 years of producing The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair, I'm spending time visiting other markets around the world. You can watch episodes of Serena Goes to Market here.
I share more about my life story from time to time, here on my blog. You can also find me on Instagram, and Facebook.
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THE FARM CHICKS
P.O. BOX 9866
SPOKANE, WA 99209
COPYRIGHT 2026
THE FARM CHICKS
P.O. BOX 9866
SPOKANE, WA 99209