Love to travel and make memories? This interactive, travel, cork board pin up map is for you! It’s a fun, cute way to record your travels through the United States.
Material for a United States Cork Board Map
- cork board from Good Will ($2.99)
- pencil
- sharpie
- ribbon
- pins
- stapler
- Dremel tool (hand held power tool that cuts through everything!)
How to make a cork board travel map
Also be prepared to leave your perfectionist ways at home. You will drive yourself mad trying to make the outlines of the states perfect.
Step 1 – Draw the outlines of the United States
I attempted to print out a template of the United States. In the end, I traced the outside edge, and filled it in by hand. I recently found this template at Design Sponge. There are actually 6 templates that you tape together…I think it would be very helpful. I did learn it’s hard to erase on cork board, so draw lightly.
Step 2 – Use the sharpie to make a dark outline
The outline is important because this is the line that will get cut. We used a Dremel tool, but a band saw or a jig saw would likely even work better!
Step 3 – Cut
Use the Dremel to cut the outline of the United States out of the cork board.
Step 4 – Draw in the States
This is where your perfectionist tendencies need to go out of the window. I free handed the lines while looking at a map of the United States. It was time consuming, but surprisingly relaxing. I used my Cricut to cut out the flag shapes.
Step 5 – Add Ribbon
Staple the ribbon to the back of the cork board, and hang on the wall.
Time to start planning trips and tracking travels! Looking for more travel crafts? Don’t miss?
Comments & Reviews
Love this! No cutting machine though 🙁 Any chance you would make one — sell and ship?
If i ever decide to start selling crafts, I will definitely let you know 🙂
What a fantastic idea. Great reminder of all the fun places you've been to.
This turned out so great! Thanks for sharing it at For the Kids Friday at Sun Scholars! You have been featured this week! Stop by and grab an A++ button for your page, and link up again for another week of fun!
http://sunscholars.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-kids-friday-11.html
LOVE this! I think my hubby needs that Dremel for Fathers Day;)
Wow, this is amazing!!! I love it!
I would love to have you share this at my For the Kids link party! Stop by and join in on the fun!
http://sunscholars.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-kids-friday-9.html
What a cool idea! I'm loving it!!! Thanks for sharing!
Just wanted you to know how much I love this project- and featured you this week on A Law Student's Journey!
http://threeyearsofdeath.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
Kitty
LOVE this. I have to have one of these. 🙂
I love maps of all kinds and I think this is fabulous.
visiting from Be Different…Act Normal
I absolutely love this! My husband and I have been thinking about a world map to map our travels! The corkboard is just fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
craftingismytherapy.blogspot.com
This is awesome! We are redoing our kiddos playroom and I really want to add something like this to it! I love that the cork board came from Goodwill too…so thrifty!
Love this! My husband and I have a fifty states bucket list and this would be so fun to keep track of all the places we have been together. Thanks so much for sharing. Allie
next2nothingcrafts.blogspot.com
This idea is brilliant!! 🙂 Absolutely brilliant!!
Cute project! Reason number 3298304982 why I need a dremel! Haha
I want one of these-brillant
I LOVE THIS!!! So fun for a playroom. 🙂
Cute idea! I've been wanting to do something similar to this with my girls. 🙂 ~Crystal
Terrific idea with the corkboard!I've been trying to think of a fun way to track my Etsy shop and where I ship to:)
I'd love for you to link up at Inspire Me Mondays! It's up all week!
http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/2011/05/inspire-me-monday.html
So cute! Before I was married, my roomie and I had world map that we would guests write their name and flag where they'd been. Wonder if I could do this with the whole world….
What a fun idea. I wish I needed one to put lots of pins in of all the places I've been. I guess mine would be filled with all the places I WANT to go!
I love the way this came out! I wish I traveled more, my map would look a bit bare >< lol xoxo Maria
LOVE it!! What did you do with the cut out frame???
Jamie!! This is soooo great! I love it – we love to travel and this would be so perfect to mark the places we've been and the places we want to go!
best thing i've seen all day! and even the leftovers…i could see you doing something with the outline, too!
Isn't that just the cutest?!?! Have been wanting to do something similiar for a while now. Would love for you to stop by and share it at the Tuesday To Do Party!
http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2011/05/tuesday-to-do-8-and-7-list-makers.html
smiles!
Jami
Very cute idea! My sister is a travel-holic. Seems like this would make a great present for her.
What a great idea! This is great for simply learning as well!
This is awesome! I really like it.
BTW, a bit of advice for perfectionists – reverse the map and do it on the backside of the cork for the large piece. Then, get yourself some old-fashioned carbon paper and do the states on the front.
What a wonderful idea! Neato!