Crib Easel

I snagged this crib from my sister's garage over Christmas.  It is a drop side crib, therefore not going to be used as a sleeping place for my new, adorable little nephew.  I was helping them out really, by clearing the space in the garage, doing a good deed as it were ;-)  Immediately I knew the ends would become an easel, but the details still had to be worked out.  A few trips to home depot and a few days of rummaging through my stash of stuff and it all came together.  I took a poll from our friends on Facebook and a few of them mentioned leaving the backside open which I really liked.  I did not want to do a chalkboard on one side and a white board on the other.  Ikea and Melissa & Doug have perfected those easels already.  I wanted it to be different.  So I considered cork, thinking it would be a great way to display children's art work, or if a store buys it, to display ads or specials.  The thought of push pins and littles did cross my mind as a bad idea.  A mom suggested mounting clothes pins.  Good idea, but I wasn't sure now sturdy, long term they would be.  So I opted for knobs with string (that can be replaced as need be with ease) and tiny clothes pins.  What do you think?