{create} inspiring inspiration board

In the process of updating our office/craft room, I decided that I needed up also update my inspiration board. I originally compiled an inspiration board back in January of 2010 (you can read about my magazine addiction + original inspiration board here). I used a bulletin board we already had, and tacked on my favorite of all favorite inspiration rooms and projects:

It was fine. I guess. The board served it's purpose of holding my inspiration, but I've been wanting to give it a little face lift for awhile. Make it a little more fun, colorful and inspirational in and of itself.

Out came the spray paint. It's the same color as the file cabinet, which you can see in the bottom right corner. I told you I went a little spray-paint crazy one weekend! :)

Next came orange stripey fabric. I simply cut the fabric to size and spray glued it into place. Now anyone who has ever added fabric to a bulletin board knows, it's really hard to get a perfect edge. Like, impossible, without taking the whole frame apart, adding the fabric and then putting it back together. I was so not in the mood for that type of project. So, pulled out some ribbon to add to the edges. The orange stripe has a lot of brown in it, pushing it more towards terra cotta than bright orange. Love it. But, and it's hard to tell in the picture, that bright orange ribbon looked hideous. So did both blues. Hmmm. I started digging through the craft room looking for something I could use instead of ribbon.

I came across a package of cork that I'd bought for another project and hadn't used. I'd been meaning to take it back to Target, but thought I'd try it as an *edge* instead.

Clearly the squares were a little too big, so I cut the cork way back and into thin half circles to add a scalloped detail.

The result was an entirely new cork board. My first thought was .... this is a little circus-y. I added back a bunch of inspiration shots to see if it broke up the look a little.

I added my magazine cut-outs, along with my favorite Curly Girl quote, which I mentioned in my risk post (which you can read here).

 I also added my most favorite snapshot EVER. This, friends, is my mom and her family, circa 1968-ish. Top left: my mom's aunt, top right: my mom's mom (my grandma!), bottom left, my mom's sister and bottom right, my mom! It's just classic. I love their shift dresses, I wish I could see more of  my grandma because that neck line is amazing and the huge pink pattern on my great aunt makes me endlessly happy. And the colors! And the flocked tree! Endlessly inspiring, for me.

And, here's the final product. I think I like it. It's definitely colorful and fun, and over time I'll add more to it, and I think it'll be great. I'm still a little worried about its circus-y feel, but I'm going to wait until the room is all put together before I make a final judgment call.

Do you guys ever have projects that you finish and are just not sure about? Do you have any old photos that are just endless inspiring to you?

Happy friday friends!