TUTORIAL: Framed Chalkboard To Do List

Michael's asked me to be a part of their First Day of School Blogger Challenge and, as I love a good challenge, how could I say no! With school starting at the end of the month for my littles I feel like our whole month of August is filled with trying to get all their Back to School appointments made. 

Eye exam...check! 

School physical...check! 

Dentist...appointment made! 

I'm also in the midst of trying to organize all their fall activities as now we have to do everything between after school between 4:30 and 7 since Noah and Penny will be in Full Day school (when did that happen?)

I thought a great project would be a Framed Chalkboard that not only looks pretty but is uber functional as it can go right on the fridge, a cabinet, or the wall and it can hold my ever-growing and ever-changing To Do List. This chalkboard is so simple to make, you are really going to fall in love with how easy it is to put together! And the chalkboard is not even real chalkboard...it's vinyl chalkboard so it is super light and erases beautifully and without all that yucky chalkboard dust!

Here's what you'll need to make it...

Framed Chalkboard To Do List

Large laser cut frame (from Michaels in the unfinished wood department)
Spray paint in color of your choice
Repositionable Chalk Roll Vinyl (from Michaels)
Scissors
Elmer's glue spots or super glue (from Michaels)
4 small magnets

The first thing you need to do is take your laser cut frame and spray paint it outside.  PS. Can I tell you how much love these laser cut frames!  They are so pretty...I have been dying to make a project using one forever!  They have so many different designs and sizes and they are really light weight too. I gave mine a few light coats of paint and then waited a couple hours until it was dry to the touch.

Once the paint is dry to touch, flip the laser cut frame over and use glue dots or super glue and glue all around the backside edge (like photo above). Cut your Chalkboard Vinyl to size.  Try to cut it so that you don't have any of the vinyl showing through the cut out holes from the front side! Place the chalkboard onto the glued edge you just created and press firmly.

Then you can either glue your magnets to each backside corner of the frame or you can leave the frame as is and just peel the chalkboard vinyl to use the repositional adhesive surface and stick to your wall or fridge that way.

And there you have it!  Such a pretty way to showcase your To Do List!
Makes it so much more fun to have one now, doesn't it?

Oh and a few more things...

Thank you Michaels for the challenge!  

You can take a look at the Michaels Back to School Lookbook for more ideas.

Also:
1. Michaels offers a 15 percent discount for teachers every day. Make sure to talk to a store associate during your next trip to learn more.
2. Need a large quantity of one back to school item but don’t see enough on the shelves? Michaels offers a bulk ordering program where you can order as many supplies as you need and save up to 20 percent.
3. Don’t forget to download the Michaels app so that you will always have the latest deals and coupons at your fingertips in case you need last minute school supplies.

**If you want to create something fun for Back to School make sure you tag @michaelsstores and use the hashtag #michaelsbts so they can share your creation on Pinterest!

**This is a Sponsored Post brought to you by Michael’s. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

XOXO,

TUTORIAL: Chalkboard Paint Dipped Wooden Spoons

I was packaging up a gift to send out to my littlest seester and her husband a few weeks ago (more on that fun gift in another post!) and decided that there was a definite need for some cute wooden spoons in their housewarming gift.  

Enter in those cute dipped spoon that have been so trendy in blogland. I love the idea but wanted a bit more functionality out of them, like say dipping them in chalkboard paint so you can write cute little sayings on them, hello! now that's right up my alley!

These are super easy and I love how you can personalize them for gift giving :-)
Here's how you can make a few of these babies...

Chalkboard Paint Dipped Wooden Spoons

Chalkboard paint of your choice (I like Martha Stewart's line but you could always make your own like the tutorial found here.)
Wooden spoons
Painter's tape or Washi tape
Foam brush
Chalk

Martha's paint is pretty rad (remember how I used it here and here), she has some fun color options beside the standard black...which would also look pretty cool on these here wooden spoons. I chose the green as it went with my housewarming gift colors :-)

All you do is mark off the boundary of the paint dipped end with your washi (or painter's) tape. Measure if you want the colors to be even steven throughout your spoon collection! Paint one coat, wait an hour to dry...a mason jar works great as a wooden spoon holder...and then paint an additional coat of paint (that's two coats peeps!)

Let the paint cure for 24 hours and then grab a piece of chalk to condition your new chalkboard space. Wipe it off and then pick some fun words to scribble on your new dipped wooden spoons!

Enjoy gifting these beauties or keep a them for yourself....I may or may not have made a few for me too, hey they are too cute not to keep! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by today!

XOXO,