DIY Antique Chalkboard

The concept of DIY chalkboards is nothing new in the Blog 'burbs, especially with the assortment of chalkboard paints that are now available.  What's so great about them is the crafty ways bloggers use things they already have around the house and turn them into practical yet decorative pieces of art.  My own version is not all that crafty, but I did use something I already had - a large ornate antique picture frame.

This isn't the exact one I used for my project, but it's about the same size and I wanted to give you an idea of what to use.  You can usually find lots of these at flea markets or yard sales for a reasonable price.

I found one that was just the size I was looking for and also had a presence all on its own.  Additionally, it blended with the rest of the decor around my home.

I then looked around for something to use as a backing, since I didn't want to spend any money for this project.

I came up with this picture that used to hang in our basement/man cave.

Very manly.

But with a woman's touch, that turned into this:

I used some chalkboard spray paint I had and then ran the surface of the long side of a piece of chalk along the entire surface to "season" the chalkboard.  You wipe it off with a paper towel and you're ready to go.

I used this great chalk marker that I found on another blog (forgive me for not remembering who you are!) to add a recipe.

I found these at A.C. Moore and they are wonderful for giving a neat and clean finish to your board, and they wipe off like regular chalk.

Another great tip for hanging anything heavy are these gorilla hooks.  I found mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond, but you can get them anywhere.

They really do work!

Here's another view of where I hung my chalkboard.

It's a small hallway leading from the kitchen to the formal Dining Room, which is why I wanted it to look a little more formal.  It's also directly across from my pantry, which makes it convenient to write down things I need to pick up at the grocery store.

A close-up look at the detail.

Overall this was a simple project.  I'm linking up to the following parties.

Home and Family Friday at Home is Where My Story Begins
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Plant A Punkin Seed Party at Punkin Seed Creations
Creative Cats Party at Poppies at Play
Inspired By Friday at The Inspired Room

A special thanks to the hostesses of all of these great parties.  Be sure to check them out for other inspiring projects.

xoxo,
Kim