DIY Chalkboard Paint

Remember my recent post admitting my new found lust for all things chalkboard? Well, Mr. Copycat and I took a stroll through our local hardware store today and I asked the kind gal behind the paint counter where the gallons of chalkboard paint were located. She kindly chuckled at me and said, "Its not sold by the gallon. Its only sold by the quart."
"Uh oh." I thought to myself. (Since I never think of anything on the small scale. I had envisioned an entire twenty foot wall covered with the paint! Go Big or Go home, right?) "I'm going to have to sell a kidney."
"Its fifteen dollars for a quart" she said as she shattered my chalkboard dreams into a million of teeny-tiny slate pieces.

Not being one to give up easy or to pay crazy money for design I left the store thinking- where there's a will there's a DIY!!! And so.... here it is:

A tutorial on how to make your own chalkboard paint...

whatever brilliant color your little heart desires... at a fraction of the cost! Read on to learn how to make chalkboard paint yourself.

Things You'll Need:Latex paint with a flat finish (amount will vary based on the painting project)
Unsanded tile grout.
Container
Paintbrush, roller or a sponge
Paint stirrer
150 grit sandpaper
Chalk
Felt cloth
Dampened towel or sponge
Towels or rags

1. Measure the flat finish latex paint and unsanded tile grout into a container. See Tips for ratio of paint with other ingredients. Your project will dictate how much chalkboard paint you need to make.

2. Mix thoroughly using a paint stirrer, until they are very well blended and there are not any clumps.

3. Apply the paint to the surface that you want to cover using a paintbrush, roller or sponge. Make sure to allow the paint to thoroughly dry before applying another coat of paint.

4. Sand each coat of paint gently, using 150 grit sandpaper.

5.Wipe the dust away using a clean towel or rag. This will help to keep your chalkboard surface nice and smooth.

6. Condition your new chalkboard by turning a piece of chalk sideways and rubbing it over the entire surface of the chalkboard. Make sure that you cover the entire board with the chalk.

7. Clean the chalk off the chalkboard using a soft felt cloth. Dampen the cloth with water and wipe off the chalkboard.

8. Enjoy.

Mixing ratio tips:
•Mixing proportions for the chalkboard paint: 1 part acrylic paint, 1/2 part glazing medium and 1/6 part of powder tile grout. For example, measure 3 tsps. of paint, 1-1/2 teaspoons of glazing medium and 1/2 tsp. powder tile grout. Another example is 6 tsp. of paint, 3 tsp. of glazing medium and 1 tsp. of powder tile grout..
•Use a magnetic primer under your chalkboard paint for a magnetic chalkboard..
•If you are applying the chalkboard paint to a small area such as a section of a door, or message board, mix only 1 cup of paint, making more if needed. For larger areas, simply increase the amount of paint and un-sanded tile grout proportionally..
•Remember, grout dries quickly. Make your "paint" in small batches at a time as it does not keep well.

xoxoxo,

A little bit of vintage love...

So I am on a decorating and editig kick at home right now. DOn't ask me how one can have a desire to minimalize AND decorate at the same time but I do. I just feel a need to make home a place that does away with everything that is cluttered and jumbled. I want a place where I can think and relax and.... breathe. While on the search for hanging barn doors ( for a future project that you'll soon see) I stumbled upon these adorable images of old front portch screen doors turned pantry door. I love them! They are so vintage and cute. I am just sad I dont have a pantry like this but not too sad to share it with you. I know there is someone out there who this is just what they need! I hope you enjoy!

This one is from Country Living.

And this gem is from This old house.

Barn doors....

...aren't just for barns anymore! No way. These darling pieces of architectural minimalism are incredible space savers and make the most boring walls look like masterful eye candy. Have a look see for yourself.

This one combines two of my obsessions at the moment- chalk board paint AND Barn Doors. Swoon!

This one is from Hose Beautiful

Better homes and Gardens

Old school style....

As I allow my mind to wander I have found myself lately getting lost in recollections of my school girl days. I LOVED drawing endlessly on the chalk boards. The slate black surfaces allowed for endless creativity. So it should come to you as no surprise that I am loving the resurgence of chalkboard decor popping up in design magazines, blogs and my favorite stores lately.

Here are a few inspirational images I have stumbled upon. Notice the chalk isnt just for the kiddos. In fact, I am certain the kids won't be drawing on these walls at my house (A mom has to have a few toys of her own right?) Check it out:

country living

Transformation: From Eyesore to Fabulous

Do you have an item in your house that functions just fine but is a thorn in your decorator side? I do. Its my refrigerator. After the last one went kaput- Mr.Copycat and I decided to buy one from our favorite vendor- Mr. Craig and his fabulous list. 50 dollars and it was ours. (And it looked like it too!) Here's a picture of the way it looks now:

You see? I wasn't exaggerating. Its pretty hideous. That's why I allow all the art work and magnets... to act as a barrier to the ugly. Now you can understand, to my delight while browsing on the Internet today, why I was so elated to find this little piece of copycat fodder on the Blog of the Old Painted Cottage. It just screams, "You can do this!!! I will liberate you from your ugly refrigerator in a cost effective and (here's my favorite part) beautiful way!"Are you ready for it?

Isn't it brilliant? I love it all but I especially love the hardware. I'm a sucker for massive hinges and pulls. And after reading how she did it I'm excited because I think I could totally master this on a lazy Saturday. (Sorry Kids... next Saturday is now deemed Cooler Saturday. Anything you need to consume will be located in the designated cooler of the day.)
So what do you think? Is it worthy of a future dyi?

Did your heart melt....

...like mine did with joy when you saw this adorable chandelier from The Curious sofa? The neutral palate, the antique block print pages, the old photos..... This is deffinitely being filed away under future dyi.


Can you imagine inserting title pages from your favorite antique books, cherished heirloom photos and charming block prints of images that make your heart go a flutter- all on one gorgeous lamp? I will call it my amazing, luminescent, memory carousel. :)

Art Ledges....

...have completely taken over my thoughts. I am obsessed with them! I dont know if my obsession these past few days with them is unhealthy but it definitely borders on the insane. If you asked me what I love about them I wouldn't know where to start. Their versatility, their changeability, their functionality. The fact that you can place and replace pictures to your hearts content without turning your walls into Swiss cheese makes my comitt-aphobic soul sing.

And lets not even mention that once they're hung you never have to worry if another picture arrangement is level as long as you shall live! Lastly, I like being able to placee different seasonal found objects like topiaries, woodenships and letters!

Being a copycat, I had to scour the internet for some inspiration. Of course it was Pottery Barn that had exactly what my minds eye was picturing.

So here are a few that have caught my eye:

I love the simplicity and the track lighting of this art ledge from Pottery Barn.

DIY design inspiration at its best!

And how cute is this little office?

So, Where have you used art ledges? I'd love to know. Be on the lookout in the following posts for an upcoming copycat and how I use photo ledges in my own home.

xoxoxo,