Summer “To Do” Chalkboard

Chalkboards are everywhere these days, and it’s easy to make your own with chalkboard spray paint and a surface ready for refinishing or upcycling. For this project, you’ll need:

a surface to turn into a chalkboard (made of metal, if you want to add magnets)
heavy-duty magnets
chalkboard spray paint
ribbon, fabric, and/or twine
your favorite set of digital journaling cards

I started my project with a “deeply discounted” clearance bin find, a scruffed and marked-up metal board. Its ribbon hanger had seen better days, and some mysterious item (a bow?) had once been glued on, but all that remained was a yellowed, dried hot-glue glob. A quick scrape and a soapy scrub prepared the battered surface for a facelift!

I used Rustoleum brand chalkboard spray paint and gave each side several coats, allowing drying time according to the instructions on the paint can. Once it was fully dry, I rubbed the flat side of a chalk stick over the entire surface, then erased it; this step (the paint can said!) prepared the surface for use.

I loved the idea of using this “blank slate” as a multi-seasonal decoration, so I wanted to add a changeable hybrid banner attached with magnets. I made simple stacked-button magnets that are plenty strong to hold the a small stringed banner.

For the banner itself I used an awesome digi product that is simply perfect for a fairly small banner like this: journaling cards! I chose the Sun and Fun collection by Dawn by Design.

I printed the journaling cards at their full size—3×4 inches, ideal for printing two cards on each 4×6 photo print. I arranged an alphabet letter on each card before printing, planning to embellish them later on. I printed an extra 4×6 with a few of the kit’s word strips, borders, and other elements that I could cut out and adhere to the cards.

To make the “doodled” alpha letters slightly less opaque, I duplicated the letter layer and changed the top layer to a “multiply” blend mode, then decreased the opacity of the lower layer to about 60%.

After my banner pieces/journaling cards were printed, I distressed all the edges by running the flat edge of a scissor across each side. I distressed the edges of all my embellishment pieces as well, before adhering them to the cards.

The banner is assembled and attached with a length of baker’s twine wound through small punched holes on top of each card, then just wrapped around each of the magnets.

I replaced the original ribbon with a “rustic” strip of light canvas fabric, and filled the board with our “summer manifesto.”

I look forward to using this in every season, and creating new banners for our everyday and holiday celebrations! I can’t wait to see what kinds of journaling cards The Digi Chick designers create for fall and winter; I know I’ll be creating “BOO!” and “GIVE” and “NOEL” banners when the time comes!

Summer “To Do” Chalkboard

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