Hello, my name is Diane and I am enamored with chalkboard art.
Chalkboards and chalk and I go way back.
Last year at Christmas, I tried my hand at creating some chalkboard art. It wasn’t magazine worthy by any stretch.
However, that did not stop me from attempting to create some laundry room chalkboard art. [wink]
You see I have this little laundry room makeover that I started last summer. And because I’m a finisher, I decided it was high time that I get the project done. So I started with giving you, and me, the ultimate inspiration, including a ‘before’ picture. That inspiration was the wind I needed beneath my wings to create a fun wreath from clothespins. But, of course I couldn’t stop there, I had to create more clothespin art!!
This is the center wall of my laundry room. As small as it is, my laundry room consists of two areas. The laundry closet is at the end of a short hallway and that hall area actually becomes the outer part of my laundry “room.” It’s where I stand, where my hamper and laundry baskets reside, as well as my laundry supplies.
And then there is the area which you have yet to see, the part that is the actual laundry closet, sans doors. Soon I’ll show you what I’ve done in there. But first, I need the sun to shine at the right time so I can snap a few photos.
This blackboard is one that I received for Christmas when I was a little girl. I loved it! And then my parents were able to acquire a huge chalkboard – real slate, from an old school that was being torn down in my hometown. It hung on my bedroom wall for years. Can you imagine having a whole section of the real deal?! My parents were pretty cool that way.
Back to this mini kid-sized chalkboard. I found it up in my parents’ attic several years ago and brought it home with me and hung it in the garage. Since I moved to PA, I’ve used it in the kitchen with verses written on it. This time, I decided to try my hand at chalkboard art. Promise not to look too closely. It isn’t perfect. But…it looks great on the wall! And makes terrific laundry room decor. Don’t you agree?
I’m wondering if I should have painted the frame of the chalkboard? What do you think?
Chalkboard Art Tips…
Somewhere, I read that it’s best to dip your chalk in water. Don’t soak the chalk. If you do you’ll get really big gloppy dots like I did. However…the moistened chalk is much easier to draw with on the blackboard. Of course, I suggest you practice. Practice more than I did. Let’s face it…I’m a bit impatient and after three tries…this is my final result. I need more practice. Because as my dad always said, “Practice makes perfect.”
I seemed to have read somewhere that you can use a chalk pencil or something similar. That would be fabulous. I used the traditional Crayola box of chalk. And for all my playing I’m only down one stick. Can you see more chalkboard art in my future?
Once I had the laundry room chalkboard art hanging on the wall I decided that I needed to ‘fix’ something. Ahem. That might not have been a good idea. Good thing the mister likes me to keep Q-tips in the house. I used them both wet and dry and they were a life saver. Or should I say, chalk-art saver.
If you want to preserve your chalkboard art, you’ll want to spray it with a can of Aqua Net hairspray. Seriously…they still make that stuff. Did you know that you can spray it on clothes that you get ink on and it helps the ink to come out too? Wonder how I would know that? Haha!
I’m sure there are more chalkboard art tips on the internet. If you have any to share, let me know and I’ll add them here.
Here’s a close up of my quote: “God’s Laundry. He washes me whiter than snow.”
It’s a take off on the verse:
I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over.
Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool.
Isaiah 1:18 CEV
….And the song, “O Happy Day!” (click to hear on YouTube) which I loved singing and doing all the motions with ‘my’ kids’ worship team.
Did you enjoy another ‘sneak peek’ at my laundry room makeover?
Are you going to try your hand at a bit of laundry room chalkboard art?
If you’d like to see how I made the clothes pin art…check it out here!
Or…maybe you’d like to see how I hid the laundry vent and hoses…check it out here!
Wishing you a Happy Laundry Day!
Diane
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LOVE YOUR CHALK ART AND NO TO PAINTING THE FRAME AS I’VE SAID BEFORE I LOVE WOOD GRAIN SHOWING!
HUGS
GLENDA KREMER
Thanks Glenda!! 🙂
I do remember you said that when I asked about painting the chest. Haha!!! 🙂
Hope your day is Extraordinary!!
Blessings!
Diane
This is so sweet and such a great reminder to have in the laundry room! Love chalkboards 🙂
Thanks for your kind comment on Melissa’s post at The Inspired Room! I can’t wait to start me entertaining posts over there once a month 🙂 xoxo
Michaela
Awwww…how kind of you to pop over for a visit, Michaela! 🙂 Thank you !!
I am really looking forward to your posts. Readers get more inspiration and you get to be part of an amazing team of women. What a win-win!! 🙂
May God bless your partnership in extraordinary ways!
~Diane
I think your childhood chalkboard is sweet, charming and just the way it should be … I adore the little label there on top which adds great vintage charm ~ why paint over that right?! I’ve seen instructions too for chalk art, I may have even pinned?? Come on sun, cooperate, I wanna see the rest of the laundry room LOL!!!
Thanks Judi!
You know….it’s that little label that has been holding me back. And the sweet thing about it….the backboard manufacturer is in PA and that’s where I’m now living. At least for another month or so. Golly aren’t I sentimental. 😉
Good news! We had sun this morning and enough of it bounced off the white house next door to give me the light I needed….at least I think so. We’ll find out when I go to edit the photos. Monday or Tuesday you should get the next glimpse. [wink]
I like it zackly as is. And I think the mix of painted frames and the grain of the lovely wood works well. I’d hate to give up the cute lable, and it’s from your childhood….that makes it absolutely priceless exactly as it is. And lemme assure ya, I’d be taking out stock on qtips if I attempted this. Though I have seen chalkbord stencils somewhere…which might work with less qtips. LOL. Your chalkboard is just awesome, of course. I’m amazed. Seriously so. Freehand even.
I can’t even draw stick people with two legs the same length. LOL. TRUE!!
Haha! Mel!
“I can’t even draw stick people with two legs the same length.” Love it!! And I so don’t believe it!!
You’ll laugh….I used to be the lead on a design team (Sounds important, huh? Actually it was for this amazing VBS our old church used to do….I had the most fun and worked harder than hard….but I digress.) and would have these ideas of what our space should look like and I would sketch it out and my sketches looked like something a 3 year-old would do. Forget stick people…mine looked like squeegle people. It was down right embarrassing. I used to start out my presentation saying, ‘you all know I can’t draw.” 😉 Oh well….I just had to be the idea girl….the real craftsmen/ladies and artists would take the ideas and run…with them. [wink]
I’m glad the project is done and I’m just loving my new space. 🙂
Blessings!!
~Diane
Wow! Diane, this is so good! You are talented, girl! 🙂
Thank you Rosann….you are so sweet. 🙂
Wishing you An Extraordinary Day!
~Diane
Love the chalk board, and especially the verse! I wouldn’t paint the board – I love the natural wood.. You are inspiring me to do a chalk board for my laundry room. You have so many talents, and I always come away with inspiration from your posts. Have a blessed day!
You are just the sweetest most encouraging gal, Mary Lise! 🙂 Thank you for your thoughts.
It blesses me that you find bits of inspiration here. {hugs}
Hope your weekend is Extraordinary!
~Diane