We were recently in North Carolina visiting with Matt’s family. While we were there I took the time to visit an old dear friend of mine. This girl has known me for years! In fact I just realized it’s been 21 years since I first met her. Needless to say it’s important to catch up with friends like this whenever you get a chance. While visiting her, I noticed she had an adorable menu board in her kitchen where she keeps track of all of her meals for the month. Since “What’s for dinner?” is one of Matt’s favorite things to ask me, I knew I had to make one of these menu boards.
Materials:
- 12×12 Frame
- Clear Plastic Calendar Page
- Scrapbook Paper
- Magnets
- Dry Erase Marker(s)
- Printer Paper or Card Stock
- Printer
- Laminator or contact paper
- Sheet Metal
- Magnetic Paint
- Tin Snips
- Safety Glasses
- Gloves
Instructions:
Start by measuring the inside of the frame. (In my case that measurement was 12″ by 12″.) Using a marker, mark a dot 12″ down from the edge onto your sheet metal. Repeat this on the opposite side.
Use a straight edge (or carpenters square) lined up on the dots and draw a line. This will be where you make your cut.
Once your line is marked, check your measurements, making sure is it 12″ from the edge of the metal.
Using tin snips, carefully cut the metal. Make sure to use gloves and safety glasses while cutting the metal. It will be very sharp and can easily cut you. After cutting the metal, you can take a coarse grit sand paper and smooth any sharp edges.
Type and print your meals onto card stock. Have at least twenty go to meals. If you plan on repeating a meal within the month make sure to print more than one. Cut the meal print outs small enough to fit inside the grid of your calendar page and laminate. If you do not have access to a laminator, you can laminate your meals using clear contact paper or even clear packing tape.
Trim and apply the adhesive side of the magnets to the meal cards.
Time for assembly. Remove the glass from the frame and first insert the calendar page. Followed with the scrapbook paper, then sheet metal, and add the frame backing last. Using the tabs on the frame close everything snug and tight.
Flip the frame over, add the month and dates to the grid.
Plan your meals out on the perpetual calendar and enjoy the splendor of pre-planning! Gone are the days of “What’s for dinner?”, which is music to my ears!
Just for fun you can change your scrapbook pages to coordinate with that particular month!
Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage says
February 12, 2014 at 11:53 amLove this Jacque!
Jacque Knowlton says
February 12, 2014 at 10:39 pmThanks so much Angie!!
Laura Beth says
February 12, 2014 at 1:25 pmLOVE this idea!! While I love to cook I hate deciding what! It would be so nice to have it all planned out where I can see it at the beginning of the month :o)
Jacque Knowlton says
February 12, 2014 at 10:37 pmYES, it’s great and keeps me from making the same thing over and over again!
Jennifer Crabtree says
February 12, 2014 at 8:36 pmLove it! Where do you find the clear calander pages?
Jacque Knowlton says
February 12, 2014 at 10:37 pmThanks Jennifer! I found it online at Create for Less just search for -Paper Accents Calendar Page 12×12 Clear Plastic. The shipping was almost as much as the sheet so I added other things I needed to the order.
Jessi @ Practically Functional says
February 13, 2014 at 1:11 amOh I love this! What an awesome idea!
Jacque Knowlton says
February 14, 2014 at 9:33 pmThanks Jessi!
Gwen says
February 13, 2014 at 12:26 pmThat is BRILLZ, Jacque!!! I’m always just making new menus every week, but something like this would make it SO much easier!
Jacque Knowlton says
February 14, 2014 at 9:32 pmThanks Gwen! So far so good, I even kept a few blank ones for new meals or eating out!
Feral Turtle says
March 6, 2014 at 8:24 pmPure genius!!! I feel like I could pop by for a meal anytime and you would be ready for me…lol. Just kidding. It really is a fantastic idea though! Cheers.
Yvonne says
January 10, 2019 at 9:26 amIf you are going to change out the scrapbook page each month, why not make 7 calendar pages, one starting on each day of the month? The you only have to add the month. Less work than renumbrring every month. You can make a couple of non-menu cards to cover up extra days for February and the 30 day months.