A Pinterest Win!

So, based on this pin on Pinterest (click to follow me), I made my own birthday board dangly tracker thing.

Yes, that's an official name. 

I started off at Michaels. I found a wooden board that was more or less already framed for about $4.99.  It even had hangers on the back.

So I painted the frame part with black high gloss.

I cut some scrap book paper to fit inside the "frame" part of things and glued it down with Elmers.  I had some trouble with the paper buckling up around the edges. I just kept pushing it down and eventually the paper gave up fighting back.

I predrilled 13 holes at the bottom.  Why 13?  We'll get there.

In those holes, I screwed in little gold screw hook things.  I made the first six point one way, the middle points forward, and the last six point the opposite direction as the first six.

Then, I stuck letters for each month above the hooks.  If I had been thinking a little better, I would have stuck the stickers first and THEN drilled.  Why?  The spacing is a little uneven, to say the least.

And then I put stickers across the top saying "Birthdays."

Now, for that 13th hook:  I made a spot in the center (between June and July) to hang people we're waiting on.  As in babies that haven't quite made it out yet.  I put a "W" at the top... for waiting.

I couldn't find any circular (or even different shapes) that would work out, so I bought a 1" circular paper punch and punched holes out of scrap book paper.  

I used a tiny pin-hole punch to make a hole at the top and bottom of each circle.  I wrote names and dates (numbers only) on each tag and then connected them using oval shaped jump rings.

Doogie said, "What a great idea. Now I know who to send cards to."  

Yes, because I know he spends SOOO much time stressing out about when everyone's birthday is about to happen so the cards can get in the mail on time.

Including the tools I had to buy (those freaking punches are expensive!!! I know why Martha Stewart is so damn rich!), the total cost for this project was probably in the $40-$50 range.  But, if I were to make another as a gift or something, I'd only have to buy another wooden board.  

I am considering adding in important anniversaries and putting them in some kind of contrasting color.  But then, the only anniversary I really give a crap about is my own and I already know that date.