Homemade Chalkboard {Tutorial}

It's amazing the things you can find on Pinterest!!

That website is completely addicting...

and if you've got a pinterest account

you know EXACTLY what I mean.

I have a lengthy "to make" list that only seems to get

longer and longer each time I'm on that website. 

The other day I finally found myself buckling down

and getting my craft on... I wanted to make a chalkboard!

**I actually ended up making 2 chalkboards- the first one didn't end up being quite
as big as I wanted it to be but I didn't even realize it until after I was finished.

Here's what I did:

 The first time I bought a random picture frame that I liked at the store.

JoAnn's craft was having a sale that day
and I got the picture for 60% off. (Love a good deal)

The frame I found measured 40 x 16.
 Since it only had a cardboard backing,

 I needed to get a piece of wood. I measured

the frame and headed to Lowe's for some help.
They had lots of options and luckily

 cut the wood for me right there in the store

for FREE. The whole thing cost $8.

 I painted the wood with Chalkboard Paint 2x

and let it sit for 24 hours.

 Then I used a staple gun to staple the wood to the frame.

Here's what it looked like all finished:

Once I decorated it I realized I actually wanted something bigger!

So I went on a hunt (again)... I literally went everywhere from
Good Will to Ross to Big Lots and there was NOTHING!
Finally I went to Hobby Lobby and they happened to have some better choices...
Plus there was also a 50% off sale which only made the deal sweeter.
So I ended up getting this frame measuring 44 1/2 x 20 1/2.

The actual picture ended up being wood so I took out all the staples on the back
and then painted the back of the picture with chalkboard paint.

Then I put it back in the frame and went to work with the staple gun.

Here's a comparison of the size difference...

The bigger the frame, the more you'll pay.

You can always go to Lowe's or Home Depot to have 

the wood custom cut to whatever size you want.

You might see some grain in the wood which you could have sanded down 

or it just might add a little character.

 From there you can have a frame made if you don't find the

right size frame that you want. There are SO many options!

Enjoy!