I was looking at ETSY.com for Teacher Gifts and I decided to research Altered Clipboards.
I found this article but didn't follow much of it because of time/money
I used
A simple cheap regular sized clipboard (mini ones will work too!)
Mod Podge (available at Hobby Stores)
Paint Brush
Coordinating Paper (Scrapbook stores, Target, Hobby Stores)
Ribbon (Scrapbook Stores or Hobby Stores -- less than $1 a yard for each)
Stickers (Scrapbook Stores or Hobby Stores)
and Chip Board Lettering (I found these at Target for 99 cents)
craft Knife (hobby stores)
Cutter (Hobby stores & Target for about $10)
Prima Flowers (Scrapbook store or craft store) mine were about $5 for 6
You can also use if you want to
Acrylic Paint, Sandpaper, Vinyl or Paper lettering, Stickers, or Stamps
I got a cheap pack of clipboards from my office supply store "Staples". I got the cheapest ones that are brown and simple. I suppose if you want to go all out you can paint the entire clip board first with acrylic paint. Tip** it might be easier to clamp the clip open by using a paperweight or chip clip from your kitchen.
I didn't paint mine.
I wanted to make the clip board as level as possible not too bumpy. The School Word Paper is glittered and raised that's why its at the top over the pencils as seen on the "Davis" clip board... as well as the butterflies on the "Aycock" clipboard. The Chip Board Letters do make it raised so these are probably best for decoration. You can also find someone or if you have a Cricut make vinyl or other type of lettering. Or use alphabet stickers or stamped letters. Again if I had more time and resources I would have gone another route.
I got two pieces of coordinating paper for each clip board. I measured the high light piece and cut it for the strip across the top and then cut the second sheet of paper to line up to the rest of clipboard. Be careful not to over lap the two pieces too much or it will cause a ridge. You will need to cut the high light piece (or top strip) with the craft knife to fit around your metal piece unless it detaches.
I had Skylar help me to spread Mod Podge glue on the clip board with a paint brush. I carefully put down the bottom sheet of paper sliding it to fit as perfect as I could before it could dry. Then I smoothed it and pushed the air bubbles out of it. I did the same thing for the top piece. I slid it under the clip. I let the glue dry.
To hide the line where the paper met you can use a die cut border, make your own paper border, I used ribbon or a sticker boarder (Auburn is a sticker and so is the "Aycock" & "Davis" clipboards) You can glue it down or if it already has adhesive.
After an hour or two of drying. I tied on a few ribbons to the top and glued on the chipboard lettering.
You can use sandpaper to sand down the edges of the paper on the clipboard and gives it a nice effect.
