DIY Ombre Cork Boards {Thanks to IKEA}

Before I get to the tutorial, here's why I need to thank IKEA for this project:

I was so excited to attend a blogger meet-up with 75 other bloggers at IKEA in Draper, Utah a couple of weeks ago. You need to check out their new catalog, it is full of amazing products!! We also were invited to have some yummy breakfast {seriously can't get enough of those french toast sticks!} and mingle with the other bloggers {BTW, thanks again Staci for entertaining Zoey!}.

The Draper IKEA recently had a makeover,

so we were invited to come check out the new changes and look over the new catalog:

Image via IKEA

Each blogger at the event was also treated to a little shopping spree! So hard to choose what to buy when the store is literally filled with FABULOUS product! I bought a whiteboard/chalkboard Måla Easel for Zoey for Christmas {Yay, me for shopping early!!}, a set of three Heat Trivets made of cork, and three Malma mirrors.

Now for my tutorial on turning a

$2.99 set of Heat Trivets into three cork boards!

Here are the three cork trivets right out of the packaging!

I bought a polka dot stencil from Hobby Lobby and worked on an ombre pattern with paints. I made one in turquoise, yellow and gray/silver.

For the colors, I used Anita's Island Blue and Banana Yellow, and Folk Art Metallic Pearl White mixed with a little Folk Art Wrought Iron to darken, and all were lightened with Folk Art Winter White for the ombre effect.

If you are new to stenciling, don't be intimidated! It's really quite easy. Make sure to use a sponge brush or dauber/spouncer. Dip the spouncer in paint, and blot out the excess. Too much paint will leak under the stencil & create more work for you to fix later. Dab the trivet over stencil in an up & down motion - going at angles around the edges can cause leaks.

They won't all be perfect, but mistakes are fixable - and add character. If you feel like you messed up bad enough {like a two year old coming over and painting your trivet while you are washing out other brushes...} just turn it over and start again! I painted each color with 2 coats of paint.

When the paint is dry, turn the trivet over and attach the hanger. I went the extra thrifty route and used a simple soda can tab and glued it on with E6000. You could also use hot glue. Works great!!