Chalkboard Information Boards

I had some old clipboards from the beginning of my teaching career with some ugly stains I wanted to revamp.
I saw this idea on sointovintage and so I pulled out some chalkboard paint to give them a makeover.

These would be cute boards in a center at school to give the students directions, or in my case I'm using these to sell a few things I've been making-which is a rarity for me, but I decided to give it a go.  It gives me the opportunity to adjust the price as well.  Fun and super easy.

Heart Chalk Vase

 It's been far too long since I posted a good chalkboard project...never fear....I still own a can and use it often.  I saw something like this a year or so ago and decided to make my own for an upcoming...details to follow....and I'll take a 'final' picture with flowers inserted.

 I took a good ol' pickle jar and put a piece of contact paper onto the jar that I had cut into the shape of a heart.

I gave it a coat of chalkboard spray paint....my drug of choice.  I peeled off my heart when it tried and had the outline left behind where you'll be able to see the stems to my arrangement.  This would be cute filled with candy for Valentine's Day as well.  Just spray the lid another color.

Favor Cakes

My Mom turns sixty this month!  I've got quite a few festivities planned...including a tea with friends.  I'm going with variations of pink for each of the festivities, in this case...pink and black.  I'll post all the details later, but....these are the favors I made using mini cakes for each guest.  Again, once they are all done...more pics, but this was the test run.  

I found a free chalkboard background and downloaded some chalkboard fonts to make this tag.  

 I made these little poppies (which I posted instructions for making last week).

 I added a ribbon and ran the end product through inspections...approval granted.  

 Inside those little containers are baby bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cake.  I wish I got something for saying that, but I don't....but regardless....I heard these cakes!  I'm getting several different flavors.

My favorite is the chocolate chocolate chip....should anyone be near a store and want to please my pallet!

Olympics: Chalkboard Nesting Dolls

 I love nesting dolls.  I have a little collection-not too many...but only because my house is small and not because I don't one in every color, size, and shape.  I saw the idea for chalkboard spraying nesting dolls at cakies, and I thought, perfect-merging two of my greatest passions?  I think I will.  I found these unfinished wood dolls at Hobby Lobby.  At the time, they were with the other things (numbers, letters, small pieces of wood), but since then I've seen them in some of the paint your own section in a box for kiddos.
I sprayed them with chalkboard paint...

...and then pulled out my colored chalk to get down to coloring.  The great news-erase and repeat!  This Olympic season, perhaps my artistic rendering of an athlete or two set to star in Russia this Olympic season.

School Days: Chalkboard Letter Board

 This summer, I decided my teammate and I needed something 'new' for our doors.  I saw this idea to spray large letters with chalkboard paint and chose this as the winner.  Chalkboard spray?  I'm in.  I saw the original tutorial at Blossom's website and it couldn't be easier, or cuter.  Have the students write their names on your letter on the first day, or leave messages etc to greet your students.  I grabbed these large letters at Michael's, but I've seen them in all the unfinished wood sections of Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's as well.

 I sprayed it with Krylon-my chalkboard drug of choice.  I added some ribbon for hanging with a glue gun...

 I scrapped the letter with the side of chalk to 'prepare' the board (so you can erase, write etc without the last message being permanently present).  The only little hiccup is...hanging this in my room means I'm back in my classroom, which means I'm back at work.  Cue the violins.  I like my job.  Really.  I just like summer a little more.

Chalk Building Blocks

 

My can of chalkboard spray  was feeling really lonely-it had been months since I had taken it out to play.  I've been really into wood projects lately (more to post later on with some of those) but this is something I could do with minimal effort. I sprayed a bunch of little blocks with chalk spray paint....

 For the builder and the artist.....
You could use little scraps of wood, but I used this little tub of blocks I had from....who knows when I acquired them, but I pull them out when small beings visit and aren't entertained by my wit or culinary skills...

 Literally all I had to do was spray, flip, repeat.

 Ready to color and build a little block city.

Birthday Count Down Cupcake

 I recently found a little wooden cupcake at Michaels.  Full price it was 4 bucks, but I used my coupon....

 This would be an easy enough shape to cut out of your own wood if you wanted to mass produce, but I'm currently so busy I have to schedule showers...I let Michaels do the wood work and then I just sprayed it down with chalkboard spray (I really like the spray better than the brush paint-no streaks).

 To give it a little color I took a brush and painted the edges pink, and the cherry a darker pink (I then went back and glued glitter all over the cherry to give it a little more bling.

I added a ribbon and a string with chalk....and painted on the words "Days until my birthday..." (I printed it over, drew over it with pencil to make the outline for me to paint because my penmanship won't win any awards).  

This is getting added to other birthday goodies going in the mail to an almost four year old I that knows her numbers and will appreciate a little daily reminder.  

Ornaments: Chalkboard Star Ornament

 My friend Heather gave me an ornament last year because she said it looked like something I would want to make.  She was right.  The original ormnament (I wrote the message on in the above picture) is metal, I found two wooden stars at the craft store (for a dollar) that were about the same shape. 

I gave it a coat of chalkboard paint then later went over with white paint along the edge and created the design around the edge.  I made a hole using a drill and threaded a piece of red raffia through the top to hang it.  I'm going to attach these to gifts this year in the place of tags.  Functional and something that can be used afterwards. 

Old Cabinet Door Chalkboard

 In the new year, I thought I'd pull out an 'old' idea.  Chalk.  What better way to start a year?!?  So....I found this cabinet door in the alley by a dumpster. 

 I blame Terry for this bout of dumpster diving, she taught me everything I know.  I now am not allowed to drive though alley b/c I never know what 'treasures I'll find.  I spayed the middle with chalkboard paint, taped it off, and then added a color to match my room. 

I had removed the knob for the spraying, but added it back again, along with a little handle I bought at the hobby store.  I turned it upside down to hold the chalk (I saw that idea on ETSY).  I'm hanging this in my room. 

Chalkboard Stocking Tags

After trying the chalkboard chargers, and ornament place settings (which I posted about earlier today),  I found little wooden stockings 4 for a dollar, and 50% off that at Hobby Lobby.  They have all sorts of shapes for every season.  I decided to try out a set of nap plates with these.  I used some of these for gift tags as well. 

I sprayed these down with my drug of choice, chalkboard paint.

Let them dry, and then drilled a hole..or two.

Please note my very favorite body accessory, paint.

I added a ribbon, and then went to work on a guest list.  So far, it's just me.   

 

Chalkboard Place Settings

I saw this idea for a chalkboard set up last year at Tatortots and Jello, and I had to try it out!  I'm kinda, sorta a chalkboard addict. 
I have never heard of this, but apparently there is a plastic primer spray you can put down before you spray something (plastic) with paint so it sticks better.  I found my can at Hobby Lobby. 

I also found these chargers at Hobby Lobby on clearance for less than a dollar a piece. 

I primed. 

I chalked.

I doodled. 

I also snagged some plastic ornaments from the dollar sport at Target. 

I marked off my area with painter's tape, and I sprayed.  Next time, I'd get the brush on chalkboard paint, or cover the whole thing (not being sprayed with newspaper b/c I don't have accurate aim with spray paint). 

 Add a ribbon, add a guest, and enjoy....and if you don't enjoy,  you can write a complaint to your host on the supplied surfaces.