Framed Chalkboards

Okay, so you know when you are working on a project and it just seems to drag on and on and on? I do, we have been working on these chalkboards for what seems like forever, but we finally got them done! I am so excited.  Let me tell you how we made them first.  You will need the following things.

• Picture Frame (it can be any size you want depending on how big you want the chalkboard to be.)
• Glass or Plywood (we used glass but you might want to use plywood so you don't have to worry about breaking it.)
• Spray Paint (any color)
• White Primer Spray Paint
• Chalkboard Spray Paint (you can find this at your home depot)
• Scrapbook Paper *optional

First you find a picture frame that you really like, we went to the D.I. and found some decorative frames that we really liked.  They don't have to be very decorative, ours was a very simple kind of frame.  Once youfind your frame keep in mind that however big it is, that is how big your chalkboard will be.  Then you can go and get the color of spray paint that you want, we did ours in Spring pastels.  Then you prime it, and then you apply it with your color spray paint.  This is what it might look like.

After you have it all spray painted you can start on the next step which is making the chalkboard.  Now when you buy your picture frame it might come with glass that already fits in it.  You can use this as the chalkboard or you can cut some plywood the the size that you need.  I would recommend that you use the plywood so that the chalkboard won't break when you press down on it too hard.  So you go and get your chalkboard spray paint from Home Depot and you just follow the directions on the back and spray it onto the glass or plywood.  Spray a couple coats onto it and let it dry.  After that you prime the chalkboard by getting a white piece of chalk and turning it so it is on its side and gently rubbing the chalkboard, do this until the whole chalkboard is covered.  Then you simply wipe it off and you are ready to go.  Here are our chalkboard that we made out of glass.

Now after you are done with the chalkboard part you can just slip them into your frame.  Here is the part where it is optional.  We put scrapbook paper on the back of our chalkboards by modge podging them onto a thin slice of cardboard.  Your frame might come with it or you can cut some out of a cereal box.  You modge podge it on and slip it in after the chalkboard.  Now you have a beautiful chalkboard that can be used for anything and can be hung everywhere.  Here are ours.