March 8, 2012

3 Chalkboard Projects {DIY Chalkboard Paint Recipe, too}

Holy chalkboards, Batman! These are all projects I did in a mad rush to get my guest room and bathroom ready for my super rad Grandma to visit. Cause, heaven forbid, she sleep in my hoarders paradise I mean project storage room/slash spare bedroom without a major overhaul! ;-)
Chalkboards aren't anything new in blog world- so I bundled a few of them in this post. They're all chalkboard projects, but they're all different!
First up- I had this a wood frame, but no backing. I thought it would make a great chalkboard for my bathroom. Cause every great bathroom design includes a chalkboard!? lol   I cut a piece of hardboard/masonite to fit the back of the frame and used E600 glue to affix it to the back. 
I wanted a place to keep the chalk so I cut the hardboard the size of the whole frame- NOT the frame's inset opening where the picture would go. That way there's a little ledge to keep chalk! See {^}?    

I wanted a chalkboard paint that matched the gray on the room, so I made my own. I used the same flat paint base color {Blind Date by Allen + Roth for Valspar} that I used on my DIY chalk paint headboard. I looked up recipes for chalkboard paint- and they all looked super easy...
But I already had Plaster of Paris from the headboard, and I didn't have unsanded tile grout- which the recipe called for. Soooo, I winged it and MADE MY OWN RECIPE!
But it turned out great, like, it's a chalkboard- so here's my recipe
You need 1 cup flat latex paint, 2 tbsp Plaster of Paris- and a few drops of water- only if paint is too thick. I painted several thin coats, maybe 5-6 of them. It only took about 10 minutes to dry in between coats, if that.

Next one- I got this frame many moons ago at the same yard sale that I got the headboard and the materials for my framed faux grain sack bulletin board and the painting I used for my over-the-couch ombre art and a bunch of other crap amazing finds! The frame was ridiculously bad! It had a cheetah print, with a cheetah print mat and the FRAME had little cheetah holes in it! Like holes all over the frame! I got it for free so I figured they might be fill-able and brought it home. In the end, and I do mean in the end cause I tried to painstakingly fill them with wall Spackle first, the electric sander, thankfully, took care of it.


I used DIY chalk paint to paint the frame- then waxed the heck out of it with Johnson's furniture wax. Remember you need ventilation with that stuff cause it smells fierce!

There was still a bit of texture left over from the cheetah spots- but I think it just looks vintagey-old, so whatevs at this point. I never want to see cheetah spots again. Ever.
 
I used the chalkboard spray paint for this one. I did several light coats of spray paint, building slowly- probably 5-6 total. I sprayed right on top of the glass. I love how you can do that cause otherwise it would have been cost me 15 bucks to have a large piece of masonite cut down to size. The glass also provides a perfectly smooth surface.






Lastly-I  had these {^} two frames hanging in the guest bathroom before I did my little makeover.  
The frames had gold speckles on them {I know what you're thinking, but I promise they were in style when I bought them!} and the mats were tan and beige.
This last project was sort of a throw away. Meaning, if it didn't work I would have thrown it away! ;-)
When all this chalkboard painting madness was happening I threw the frames AND the MATS in the pile and painted them too. 


{PS. Pics in these frames are by my super, duper talented friend, Emilie Johnson- check her out!}
Surprisingly, the mats weren't ruined! Crazy, right? I had to do SUPER light coats of spray paint to make sure the paint couldn't puddle on the porous paper. I think it adds a little bit of punch to an otherwise very calm guest space. So now you {and I} know, you can paint outdated or not your style picture mats! Yay!
These were my first chalkboard paint projects ever. I pretty much dove in head first!! I loved the DIY version- it's pretty fantastic to be able to make your own chalkboard paint in any color.
Have you guys tried it already? Do you have any tips for me?


Looking for places to link up your projects? Check out my Party page.
I'm also linked up here.









25 comments:

  1. REALLY NICE TUTORIAL, I HAD SEEN RECIPES FOR CHALK PAINT, BUT NOT CHALKBOARD PAINT, REALLY GLAD I FOUND YOUR BLOG!!

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  2. Aw Becca, you are so amazing! I love all the new additions, they look so perfect in their nice little homes. :) Thanks for the how-to, I appreciate it!

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  3. i love me some chalkboard projects! yours all look wonderful!

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  4. I absolutely love chalkboards and homemade chalkboard paint is the greatest! When I made mine up I was in the same predicament and simply refused to drive 1 hour (one way) to the closest store. So I used Plaster of paris and it worked great! I absolutely love you chalkboard mats!! Did you take the pictures in the frames? All in all you did a great job once again!! :)

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  5. Very nicely done. I love the recipe and will have to try this.

    Gerrie

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  6. Pinned it. I love the idea of making chalkboard paint in any color, I haven't get delved into diy/craftiness yet, but this is on my list when I do!

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  7. I love the plethora of projects :) Something for everyone! I will be trying the spray paint on glass - I have some frames that I wasn't sure what to do with, and now I know!

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  8. Awesomeness :) I am a chalkboard-aholic myself and I think all of these came out great!

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  9. Oh, and sorry I didn't reply sooner to your other question about my t-shirt scarves. I actually haven't washed them yet but I'll let you know if they run when I do :)

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  10. I haven't been doing any chalk board DIYs yet. But I bought a spray chalk board paint, so let's see if I get anything done during weekend. Something similar is on my mind than you had. Thanks for ideas!

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  11. All of them are fabulous! That home made recipe is the one I used for chalk paint but it scratches so easily I wonder that you could use it as chalkboard paint as well... I must have done something very wrong!

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  12. Becca, you have done an amazing job, love the way everything pulls together. Inspiring, and I love that the mats can be painted, I have some ugly pic frames and mats that could use a work over...LOL.

    Um....I wanted to mention, because I know I am so allergic to chemicals, and maybe someone else is also. The Johnsons Wax that you mention smelling so strongly...it's really really toxic. As in really really bad for you, the environment, and kids. There is a reason this stuff smells so bad, and you need ventilation when using it. Are there any other waxes that you could use? I know that in the US you guys have a much better selection to choose from. I have been using Annie Sloan Wax, and even it's kind of bad, but it seems to be the best of the bunch.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  13. Wow, great post and love to see new ideas for chalboard paint - I also love the lmapshade!

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  14. Somebody was featured on http://sassafrassalvation.blogspot.com/2012/03/sasss-sunday-salvation-show-15.html#comment-form
    Stop by and scoop up my brand new 'Featured' button!

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  15. DIY Chalkboard paint!! Brilliant! I'm going to pin this and try it out sometime!


    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  16. Very nice! I would have never thought of using plaster. It came out having a different look. I like it!

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  17. I love all your projects! I especially love what you wrote on the chalkboard above the toilet!!! Too funny.

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  18. Thanks for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday - you were featured today!
    Mandy, www.SugarBeeCrafts.com

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  19. Thanks for this tutorial. I wouldnt have thought to try making my own chalkboard paint!
    Sarah
    www.budgetfriendlydecorating.com

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  20. Another great tutorial Becca! That chalkboard in the bathroom is not only cute (love the gray), but hilarious too! I really like the black on black mats and frames in the bedroom too...very dramatic in an elegant way.

    Have a great week!
    Deborah

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  21. Nice work as usual, sistah! And I am totally in love with your bee lamp shade too!
    xxx
    Kim @ Too Much Time

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  22. Thanks for sharing!! I have frames & scrap wood set aside for chalkboard projects but have yet to tackle them. You've inspired me. I'm a little impatient and lazy so I was planning to use the spray paint, but your recipe for chalkboard paint seems pretty simple - I may give that a try.

    Tammy @ southernflaircrafts.wordpress.com

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  23. Glorious, glorious paint! I now understand why you originally had palm tree pics in your bathroom. I think I had a surf board bathroom when I lived in HI.lol Do you remember the red and beige surf board stuff (1950's)that was at Walmart FOREVER when you lived there? OK...anyways, Great makeovers! It's amazing how different they look! I used to have the same frame you have above your bed too.
    ok. enough of my randomness.
    --Katie

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  24. I've got chalkboard paint on my list to buy! You have inspired me!

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