Chalkboard project.

Last weekend I finally got around to a project I've been wanting to do for a long time--making a chalkboard for the kitchen wall.I've had this giant 3 x 4 foot frame since last winter just waiting for me to do something with it. (Once again, 90% off aisle at Hobby Lobby--it was just $16--I hit the jackpot that day.) I toyed around with several ideas, but as soon as we bought this house I knew it would be a chalkboard.

All you need is a can of chalkboard paint from Lowes or Home Depot. You can paint it directly on the wall, or make a hanging chalkboard like I did that can be easily removed. (It'd also be fun to paint the top of a kids table in a play room, or the top of a coffee table, or a closet door......there are lots of fun ideas out there). I wanted to go with a traditional black board, but you can actually make your own chalkboard paint in any color you want. Martha is a genius.

I started out by painting my frame with leftover white paint. Then I went to home depot and had them cut a piece of wood the right size for my frame. (You can either use plywood and sand it down or something non-porous like Masonite that doesn't require sanding and is lighter).

I also wanted mine to be magnetic, so I first painted my surface with 4 coats of magnetic paint (also from the local hardware store) and then covered it with one coat of chalkboard paint. The magnetic paint is a bit pricey, so if you're on a budget you may want to skip this step. Honestly, it isn't very magnetic anyway, just enough to hold a picture or list.

Then I attached my painted chalkboard inside the frame with a staple gun, flipped it over and screamed "NOOOOOOOO" when I realized all 50 staples had gone completely through the frame thereby ensuring that any child that came near it would need a tetanus shot. Not only was it a weapon of mass destruction, it was ugly.

So I pulled all the staples out, caulked all the holes in the wood, repainted my frame and then distressed it to look there were supposed to be chunks of wood missing everywhere from those dang staples. Then I reattached it using a combination of super glue and thumb tacks. Whatever.

I bought a magnetic basket in the school supply aisle at Target to hold my chalk, but it was too heavy to stick to my board so I attached it to the wall nearby instead.
The top of the board is for adult things like messages and lists, and the bottom is for Skylar to play on. (She goes and gets a stool so that she can reach more of the chalkboard:)

It not only fills a big empty wall, but it also keeps Skylar busy in the kitchen which is always helpful for me.