How-to: DIY Weekly Menu Board
November 21, 2008 at 3:28 am 40 comments
Close up of my menu board (L) and hanging in my kitchen (R)
Have you seen those fancy shmancy menu boards that you can buy for oodles of money? But they are about the size of a piece of paper? Well I say… Who needs to spend oodles when you can do it yourself!
My favorite foodie and all around bestie, Nikki (Yes, she pays me to say that. HAHA), showed me a DIY weekly menu project a couple months ago and I loved the idea! All you need is a dry erase board and vinyl lettering. Easy peasy, right?
I bought my dry erase board at Target. Mine is about 22 inches x 35 inches. Its HUGE!
For my vinyl lettering, I contacted Mandi of Stikm’up Vinyl Lettering and she was so patient with me while I was choosing my font, size and color. I finally decided to go with classic black b/c I figured all my dry erase markers will provide the color and the font reminds me of old world historical handwriting. (Remember T is a history buff so I dig it b/c it reminds me of him.) Finally T doesn’t have to ask me a bazillion times “Whats for dinner?” (You think my memory is bad? His is worse!) Now I can just point to the board. Niiiiiiiiiiice.
Don’t you love it?
I absolutely LOVE how it turned out.
I can’t stop staring at it.
Looks like I need to figure out something for Sunday dinner though huh? HAHA
If you wanna make your own weekly menu, email Mandi and tell her Clara said hi!
PS. You know…? My blogoversary *IS* coming up and maybe if there’s enough reader interest I can finagle convince Mandi to sponsor my blogoversary with a “weekly menu board kit”? So… who’s interested? *wink*
PPS. Twilight was awesome.
PPPS. You should go see it this weekend.
PPPPS. Because I said so. <– greatest comeback ever.
Entry filed under: how-to. Tags: weekly menu board.
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I♥food4thought 
1.
Nicole | November 21, 2008 at 4:01 am
Oh man, it looks fantastic! Wow. You rule, girl!
2.
Katie | November 21, 2008 at 4:58 am
I LOVE THIS! I have one in my kitchen but it is small and I LOVE the vinyl letters! I starred so I can make one myself. Thanks!!
3.
April | November 21, 2008 at 5:06 am
I love this board!!! I so have to make one of these!
4.
kim | November 21, 2008 at 5:50 am
that is adorable!! :) hm i am so bad at planning meals… it’s usually a question of which place to take out from ;) terrible
5.
Cristine | November 21, 2008 at 5:53 am
How cute!!!
I’m so jealous that you have seen Twilight! The Germany release date isn’t until January. :(
6.
food librarian | November 21, 2008 at 6:24 am
Looks great!! I love the board!
7.
Nikki | November 21, 2008 at 6:36 am
Very cute! You did a fabulous job.
8.
Jamie | November 21, 2008 at 9:54 am
Ok, I just decided what I’m going to be doing with any free time I get in the next week. I have a beautiful bare wall in my kitchen that something like this would look smashing on. LOVE THIS! :) CB you are so hott right now.
9.
Jamie | November 21, 2008 at 9:56 am
PS. I’m seeing Twilight tonight at 4:30p sharp! with my aunt and cousin who are also totally as obsessed as I am. Squeeee! Robert Pattinson is some delish jail bait boy-candy (since I’m sure he’s probably pretty young…BTW in real life he has a gorgeous brittish accent–I heard it this morning in an interveiw, YOWZA!)
10.
Judy (Judy's Gross Eats) | November 21, 2008 at 10:56 am
Dry erase boards are my friends. I’ve been using one for a year now to keep track of all the food blog events I do. I probably need more than one anymore.
11.
Tanya | November 21, 2008 at 11:52 am
Oh, this is wonderful! What a fantastic idea. I’m always impressed by those who plan out their meals for each day of the week. I’m lucky if I know what I’m making tonight!
12.
CB | November 21, 2008 at 12:02 pm
KATIE, I have a teeny one on my frig but I LOVE my huge one on the wall. I can see it across the room and it makes me happy. HAHA. Can’t wait to see how yours turns out :)
KIM, Oh trust. I do alot of take out too but I am trying to be better. Maybe a purdy weekly menu board would motivate you to plan huh? *wink*
NIKKI, Thanks for the idea chicky!
JAMIE, Awesome! I can’t wait to see what yours looks like. And yes. Love me some Twilight. To be honest Robert Pattinson wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for Edward but he was good. I think Kristen Stewart was totally Bella though. Let me know what you think, k?
JUDY, Good idea about keeping track of foodie events! Now I need to make another one. HAHA
TANYA, Oh I am totally NOT organized. I like to say I am organized clutter. HAHA I usually figure out what I am making for dinner that morning but I am trying to be better.
13.
April | November 21, 2008 at 12:11 pm
This is a great idea! I normally just hang my menu on the refrigerator. It’s on the back of my grocery list. LOL How janky is that? Oh well, at least I do it I guess.
14.
CB | November 21, 2008 at 12:13 pm
APRIL, LOL @ janky! You are so ghetto fabulous. Thats why I love you…
15.
Rachel | November 21, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Um, I want one! Great job!
16.
Jules | November 21, 2008 at 3:08 pm
What a fabulous idea! Of course, I’d actually have to plan meals ahead of time….
17.
CB | November 21, 2008 at 5:02 pm
RACHEL, You can make one! Find a cool green frame, a dry erase board and orange vinyl letters! Omg it would be so cute in your kitchen!
JULES, Well I am hoping that my purdy menu will make me plan ahead. We’ll see how that goes… HAHA
18.
carolina | November 21, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I really like this idea. I was also going to make a calendar like they do at the schools. My kids always look at their school menus that come in calendar form, so I am going to do the same. That way I can plan my meals ahead and grocery shop accordingly. That is the plan anyway. Ask me in a week if I have done it!
19.
Steph | November 22, 2008 at 6:16 am
I love your board. I know what you mean about those paper sized menu boards that are so expensive. I actually made my own by laminating a piece of bristol board.. but it obviously does not look as fancy as yours!
20.
CB | November 22, 2008 at 7:15 am
CAROLINA, Love the calendar idea! Have you seen the “chalkboard paint calendar” idea? (Click the link to see picture.) I can’t remember if that was a Martha Stewart but I always thought it was so cool! Someday when I have a room for my office I am totally doing that!
STEPH, Exactly! They are so small and SO expensive. I am too cheap to buy those ones. HAHA. Cool idea about laminating bristol board!
21.
ash | November 22, 2008 at 7:35 am
it looks great!
22.
CB | November 22, 2008 at 7:50 am
ASH, thanks!
23.
Melissa | November 23, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Oh my gosh, I gotta have one!! Thanks for the good idea!
24.
CB | November 23, 2008 at 4:18 pm
MELISSA, Definitely make it! Its not hard at all and I love mine!
25.
Julie | November 24, 2008 at 9:04 am
Cute board! I have access to vinyl lettering (I mean, that’s part of what I do at my job… so…) but like some others on here, I’d have to start planning ahead first. I need to though, maybe a menu board will get me motivated?
26.
CB | November 24, 2008 at 9:06 am
JULIE, Oh man! I didn’t know you could do vinyl lettering! If I get another vinyl lettering project I’ll have to email you about it! I totally think my menu is motivating b/c I am a dork and I like writing on it which forces me to plan something. HAHA
27.
Suzy | November 24, 2008 at 1:19 pm
LOVE IT! I’m for sure copying! You are all so crafty-crafterson!!!
28.
CB | November 24, 2008 at 1:31 pm
SUZY, LOL @ crafterson. Sometimes I can be crafty when I try REALLY hard. HAHA
29.
Eunice | November 24, 2008 at 11:48 pm
CB that is beeyoootiful! what font did you use for the headers? too bad I can’t contact her to get my stencils right away! :(
and…I LOVE THAT CHALKBOARD CALENDAR! My dreams will be sweet if that thang hangs in my room. Ah me oh my.
I’m a pretty crafty person by nature..but see, my mum has reformed me from a devious child to a paper crafty dafty teen. HEHEH! I know! I have it in me but I love baking so much more! at the mo…… ;-)
30.
Amy | November 25, 2008 at 1:02 pm
This is awesome! I have to try this for my kitchen!
31.
CB | November 25, 2008 at 3:09 pm
EUNICE, Thank you! Honestly I am not sure what the font is called. It was on a list of fonts that Mandi sent me over to look at but I am sure if you emailed her she’d tell you. I’d say I am kinda crafty but I definitely love doing the baking thang right now! HAHA
AMY, I hope you do! I cant wait to see it!
32.
Eunice | November 25, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Yes, even though I’m a multi tasker I have certain quality (as well as affection) issues if I were to put all my loving into baking and crafting. It has to be one. Yeah aren’t they cruel masters??
but I do love baking :D
And thanks! I’d love to give her an email..unfortunately I don’t think she ships to Malaysia so I’m gonna have to find muh own local source of vinyl lovin.
33.
Jodie | November 26, 2008 at 8:17 am
LOVE THIS! I’ll have to do it
34.
CB | November 26, 2008 at 8:57 am
EUNICE, Oh wow. I didn’t realize you lived in Malaysia! I hope you can find your own local vinyl source.
JODIE, Awesome! Can’t wait to see how yours turns out!
35.
Mary | November 29, 2008 at 6:33 am
Um, I MUST have this. I’m not sure where I”m going to hang it, but I’ll find a place I’m sure! :)
36.
CB | November 29, 2008 at 7:16 am
MARY, Thats the beauty of DIY projects. You can make it for your own needs. I wanted something big to cover a wall in my kitchen but you could buy a smaller dry erase board if you don’t want something huge.
37.
Leslie | November 29, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I LOVE this idea! It would also make a great gift, huh? Maybe I can talk someone into making one for me…
38.
CB | November 29, 2008 at 4:05 pm
LESLIE, LOL @ someone making for you. IIt would be an awesome gift! ;)
39.
Eric | January 6, 2009 at 8:28 am
Clara:
I am a graphic designer involved with the branding of a new restaurant concept in Florida and was wondering if you can help – my client wants to make sure the font size we are using for our menu boards is optimal… They want to make sure people standing approx. 10-12 feet away can easily read the menu while still optimizing “selling space” with photos, etc.
Can you tell me how you determined what size to make your vinyl letters for your menu?
Thanks for any help.
Eric
Empower Graphics
http://www.empowergraphics.net
40.
CB | January 6, 2009 at 10:22 pm
ERIC, To be honest I just measured the size of the “white board” (not including the frame) and sent the dimensions to Mandi (she made the custom vinyl lettering for me) and we kinda estimated the length and width of the title and days of the week that would look asthetically pleasing. Maybe you could email her for more info? Sorry I am not much help. GL!