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9.09.2016

Easy Chalkboard Makeover!

A year and a half ago, I discovered a HAUL of FREE stuff behind a store...
(don'tcha' love it when that happens?!)
There was a HUGE 12' tall 4' wide white hutch with shelves
which I donated the hutch to Laura's House ReSale Store, where I was creating visuals.
(the store ceiling is over 20' high so that thing works perfectly in there!).

And then there were THESE babies:

Two chalkboards that were a bit worse for the wear,
with peeling paint and dirt for DAYS.
I kept them anyway! They've been in storage ever since.

I got inspired recently, and pulled them out of the garage for a makeover...
after I cleaned them, repainted the black chalkboard surface with flat black paint,
and covered up the dark red trim with flat white paint,
I got to work on the lettering.
Here's a simple way to do the lettering:

Determine what you want to say, and what font to use, and how large it will be,
then print or draw it onto plain white paper - use pen or pencil.


Flip the paper over, and use a white crayon to color across the back 

of entire area where the words are on the front.
(Make it a pretty thick coat of crayon for it to work best.)
Flip the paper back over, carefully set it in place on your chalkboard surface -
wherever it is that you want the words to be situated - 
and then use a pencil or ballpoint pen to trace back over the original lettering.


Put as much pressure as you can on it without tearing the paper OR moving the paper.
When you've traced the whole word, carefully lift the paper straight up.
You'll have a perfect outline in white crayon of your lettering.

Now just fill it in with white paint (if you want it permanent) or with white chalk.
I used very small brushes to apply flat white paint on mine,
then I added detail using a black fine-point sharpie marker:
The 'Menu' chalkboard now hangs next to our kitchen pantry,
and the 'home SWEET home' one is in our entryway.
They add a crisp counterpoint to all of the neutrals in the decor,
and offer a place to personalize greetings for our guests! 

(pinnable images)

Want another easy chalkboard project?

Check out my tutorial for creating a chalkboard, below:
my secret? use a sheet of cement tile backer board!
sand well and paint it with several coats of flat black or chalkboard paint, 
then drill holes in the corners and screw into studs in your wall.

I used a piece of an old wood gutter as a bottom rail, to hold chalk!


It ends up looking, feeling, and SOUNDING exactly like 
an old slate chalkboard when you write on it!
(RETREAT was my former business in the vintage industry)

shared online:


Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

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