Create Your Own Disney Pin Board – DIY Tutorial!

I have a tradition every time I go on a trip to Disney or a press junket. I always pick up a coffee mug (I have some pretty amazing ones), a Christmas ornament and a pin or two that I like. That with the addition of pins to Disney Movie Club packages and some on Disney Movie Rewards – let’s just say I’ve stared to get a pile of pins going. Each is amazing and has it’s own memory that comes with it, and I didn’t like them just sitting in a drawer in the office. I started to look for a pin board I could buy for my collection, but didn’t like the prices I saw on Etsy, and they weren’t personal to my trips. So, I headed to Michael’s and picked up a few things to make my own. My original idea changed a few times, but this adorable pin board only cost me $20 and a couple hours to make. It’s not 100% perfect, but perfection wasn’t my goal – some of the background issues will be covered as time goes on. The depth difference between the Mickey head and the background gives me space to put other items and memories from our trips, and I can continue to add to it as I go.

Want to make your own Pin Board for your Disney Pins? Here’s how I made ours! You can really make any background shape you want, but Mickey’s Head was easy to do.

What you need: 

• 1 Large frame – ours is 16″ x 24″ and I picked it up new so it matched artwork throughout the house. I did remove the glass and the mat inside, but this is the perfect project for a frame repurpose.
• Disney Park Maps from your visit or have friends pick them up for you. Alternatively you could use photos from your trip or anything else that strikes your fancy for a background.
• 2 foam brushes
• 2 sheets of 1/8″-1/4″ thick Cork or Plywood Sheet Squares – these were 12″ x 12″
• Black Acrylic Paint
• Modge Podge
• Scissors
• Sharpie Marker

How to Make Your Own Pin Board: 

1. Trace Bowls to get the larger part of Mickey’s head as well as ears. It’s ok to make mistakes, you will paint over them later.
2. Put the two Ear pieces on 1 sheet of cork – it’s ok that they overlap!
3. Use the larger bowl you used to create Mickey’s head and trace part of it onto the smaller ear pieces – try to make them even.
4. Using scissors, cut out the pieces you need for your Mickey Mouse head. Dry fit the pieces together and make sure they fit in the frame you purchased.
5. Paint the parts of your cork board with black paint, and be sure to cover the cut edges as well.Paint all of the pieces and let them dry.
6. Cut the park maps, or whatever you’re doing for your background out and set aside.
7. Cover the back support board of your frame with Modge Podge and begin laying down the maps.
8. Be sure to cover your whole background with maps or images. It’s okay if they overlap. Coat all of the maps with 2-3 coats of Modge Podge until they are completely flat. Remember some of this will be covered.
9. Once your maps are dry, cut off any extra that don’t fit on the back and insert your background into your empty frame.
10. Using the adhesive tabs that came with your cork squares, place your cut out pieces on top of the map. Push firmly so they stick.
11. You now have a pin board ready to hang on the wall! Time to get pinning!