Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Chalkboard Tray

  YAY for the first post of the month! I made it through my first month of blogging and I have to say "Hi, my name is Kim and I am addicted to blogging." (hehe) This blog has made me very productive...maybe not with the laundry and dishes as much but certainly with those small projects you have always had on those "to do" lists. (which by the way I found five of them in my purse the other day...I'm old school.Funny thing is each list has the same thing written on them cause I always lose the one before. haha. Does anyone else have that problem? I always forget I can type it in my phone.)Anyways... So I am very excited to have checked off one of my "to do's" the...


I have been wanting to to do this for decades...ok maybe I am exaggerating...maybe not decades but for a very long time. :) First, I dragged the Hubster on a little thrift store date...Hey I am knew to this thrift store shopping thing and I didn't know what to expect, but when I saw it I knew I had to have it!

So let's get to it!


SUPPLIES
  • One tray of your choice(mine is wooden from the thrift store for a hefty $1.50!Other types of trays could be used as well though.)
  • One can of chalkboard spray paint(Lowe's 5 buckaroos)
  • A small can of paint of your choice.(I used a white semi-gloss.)                                          TIP: In the paint department of Lowe's ask if they have any cans of paint either people returned or were wrong. The choices might be slim but I paid a whole dollar for a can of paint. :)
  • One roll of painter's tape.
  • Sandpaper(I used a sandpaper with a grit of 120, if you are using a wooden tray.)
  • Of course chalk!hehe
  • Any extras you might want to add: I added a burlap bow($5 a roll from Michael's) and retro vintage flowers made from cupcake wrappers, a newspaper,a paper bag and spawwkly pipe cleaners. (I had all of those items so we shall say...FREE!)
  Step Uno:  
Take your sandpaper and sand your tray so your paint can add here as well as smooth any rough areas.             
 Step Dos:
Wipe tray of any dust and begin applying your painters tape around the tray where you do not want the chalkboard spray paint.




  Step Tres:
Spray your chalkboard paint in a side to side motion outside. Then spray it lightly again. Wait 20 minutes then add another coat. Then wait an hour before writing on it.
(It is best if you read the directions on the back of the can. :))
 
Step Quatro:
 After your paint has dried,carefully remove tape. 
Step Cinco:
Place painters tape on the inside of tray and begin painting the rest of your tray. To get the worn affect, I simply painted and wiped as I went along. That Simple!


Remove tape and TA DAAAA!

 
I thought it needed something a little extra to go with the old worn look from the tray so I used some burlap I had around that I had been wanting to use. I simply cut a long strip and made a bow. I didn't want to glue the bow on and make it so permanent so I used push pins to ad here it to the tray. I wanted to give it a little something vintage and I thought of a great idea for flowers...so I looked around to see what I had... I used a cupcake wrapper, newspaper, and a paper bag. Cut a circle out of the newspaper, that it is slightly smaller then the cupcake wrapper and glue your circle onto the wrapper. Next cut a slightly smaller circle from the paper bag and glue it to the newspaper circle. With my spawwkly pipe cleaners, I tied my flowers to the bow. I loved how it turned out. 


              You can use your tray as cute decoration on your coffee table or write a sweet message for your guests and place it on there bed.It makes the room feel cozy doesn't it? ...like a mini b&b.

              My favorite way to use it is as a grocery list.
                  "Makin Groceries" as we call it down here in Nola. 
                                                                                How do ya'll say it?



or  right sweet messages to ya little "boo boo"  or ya little "teddy bear". haha and NO I do not call my husband these names. I'm Serious. :)

I love the versatility of this tray...hang it in a kid's bedroom, play tic-tac-toe, write a love poem...be creative.

and by the way our DATE NIGHT  was just lovely!





Now go on....get to it!



3 comments:

  1. Love the new chalkboard. The burlap bow ... yummy! I will be trying this soon.
    :) Samantha
    craftytexasgirls.blogspot.com

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  2. Awww...Thanks! I am so glad you like it...so simple for such a great look!

    Thanks for commenting!

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  3. HA!!!! I am the SAME way with lists. I find them EVERYWHERE.

    love the thrifty tips. keep up the good work!

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