The mouse pad is one of the few things which can have a double role when talking about work spaces and desks. It’s an accessory that can be both functional and decorative at the same time. And although it would be easier to simply buy a mouse pad, there’s also a more crafty alternative. DIY mouse pads can take many interesting forms and we’re about to have a look at a few inspiring examples.

In order to give your mouse pad an interesting shape you can use a template. Modify it however you want and then trace it onto cork board. Cut a piece of fabric big enough to cover the design you traced on cork. Glue the fabric to the cork board. You can use two different types of fabric for the two sides of the mouse pad. Trim the fabric and give it the same shape as the cork board. {found on frompintolife}.

A similarly simple project can be found on Feelinglovesome. This one also uses cork board. Basically you decide on a shape and size and then you cut the cork board to obtain it. After this you can use tape and paint to customize your mouse pad with all sorts of designs and geometric patterns.

On Modpodgerocksblog you can find out how to make a mouse pad with nautical flair. You’ll need a round piece of cork board, some scrapbook paper, mod podge, ribbon, paint and a foam brush. Trace out the shape of the cork onto the paper. Then cut the paper circles and adhere them to the cork. At the end, glue the ribbon to the edge. For a nautical-themed mouse pad, pick paper that depicts a map or sea creature.

If you prefer designs that are simple, check out the one offered on Northstory. It’s a cork mouse pad which you can easily make if you have some paint and a foam brush. Use letter stencils to customize the mouse pad.

There are tons of simple ways to both craft and decorate a mouse pad. Check out Lovelyclustersblog for a lovely idea. The supplies needed for the project described here include smooth vinyl or leather, cork board, spray adhesive and a silver pen. Draw a circle onto the cork and then cut it out. Spray adhesive on it and place the vinyl on top. Cut out the excess vinyl. Sketch a few stars onto the vinyl and that’s all.

To make sure that the cork board circle has a smooth and beautiful edge, you can use a cork board trivet. Put some vinyl on it and this can be your new mousepad. The project is described on Thethingsshemakes and is extremely simple, especially if you use adhesive vinyl.

Add some color and cheer to your workspace with a beautiful rainbow mousepad which you can easily craft at home. You can use an oval cork board so it’s soft and comfortable but also rigid. Cut it in half and then proceed to paint strips of different colors, following the outline so together they look like a rainbow. For more details you can head over to thecraftedlife.

Old mousepads are pretty much the worst, not necessarily because they can’t be used anymore but because they get an ugly and worn look. As long as it’s still in good shape you can always give it a makeover and make it look cuter than ever. You just need some nice fabric and some proper adhesive. It’s all explained on one-o in a very helpful and inspiring tutorial.

Making a cute mousepad from scratch is not that difficult either. The base can be made of cork which is actually a perfect material for this. It’s quite rigid but it’s also comfortable for the hand and it doesn’t slip on the desk. The other component to this design is a foil of thermo-adhesive fabric. You need an iron to adhere the fabric to the cork disc and scissors to cut it to size. Head over to popshopamerica if you want more details.

On the same topic, fabric can be swapped for leather if you want your mousepad to look more elegant and fancy. It would still have a cork base and you can cut it into any shape you want and thus make the mousepad as big as you want to. Keep in mind that you’ll need leather to cover the entire surface of the mousepad. To attach it to the cork base, use spray adhesive. It’s easy to apply, practical and easier to put in a light and uniform layer compared to solid adhesives. More details can be found on earnesthomeco.

Another, one that’s even easier to put into practice, is to take a corkboard trivet and to just apply some sticky-backed vinyl on one side to give it a smooth surface for the mouse to sit on. All you need to do is trace the shape of the trivet onto the vinyl and then cut it so it covers the top surface perfectly. What’s nice about this is you could quite easily remove the vinyl layer and replace it with another fresh one when you get bored of this look or when it starts to look worn. The idea is inspired by a project from thethingsshemakes.

Isn’t this mousepad the cutest? The pom-pom trim really sells it plus it’s also personalized with a monogram which is a really lovely design touch. You can make a mousepad just like this one from a few simple materials: a cork trivet (the shape shouldn’t really change the project in any way), acrylic craft paint in your favorite colors (in this case light pink), a letter stencil, tiny pom-poms in a few different colors, a foam brush and a hot glue gun. You can find the instructions on designimprovised.