May 22, 2012

I'm FUL of It: Chalkboard Sign with Homemade Chalk Paint {Tutorial}



Remember yesterday? I showed you my 35th mantel and teased you with a chalkboard message sign and a promise of a tutorial today? Well, today is here and so is that message board!


This idea was inspired when a friend and I spotted an entire display of rusty, old iron letters for $1 each. I decided right then and there that I would grab the letters to spell FUL and make a changeable chalkboard sign.

A few months later, I finally got around to it.


I already had the plaque (which I found at an antique store...no idea what it was in it's previous life) and, I just happened to be painting my bedroom dresser with homemade chalk paint in this fun shade of yellow. So, it was super easy for me to quickly taped off the plaque and roll on some of the leftover chalk paint.

To make my chalk paint, I used the recipe and instructions given by Karah at The Space Between. She even has pictures of the process, so head over there to check it out!

Homemade Chalkboard Paint:
1 C. flat latex paint (in color of choice!)
1 T. unsanded grout
a bit of hot water (start with a tablespoon and add more, as needed)

Mix grout with water and stir to dissolve. Then mix the dissolved grout with the paint. Stir, stir, stir, stir. And, then stir some more. If you have any grout clumps in your paint, keep stirring!

I used two coats of paint, rolled directly onto my unprimed and unsanded plaque. After it was completely dry, I conditioned my chalkboard using the side of a piece of chalk. After I'd wiped the chalk off with a rag, it was ready to use!

I simply attached my FUL letters with gorilla glue. Easy-peasy!



I know, I know! I've used very specific, and possibly hard to replicate, materials. But, truly, this is a concept that can be modified in any number of ways. For instance, repurpose an old cabinet door as your base and use wooden craft store letters as your FUL.

OR, print FUL on scrapbook paper, place it in a glassed frame and use a dry erase marker to add your adjective.

Get creative! You simply need a writing surface and somewhere to attach FUL...and, then you can be FUL of it too.

I love a project with versatility just as much as I love a play on words.

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36 comments:

  1. I looooove this and I'm doing it! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

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  2. What a great tutorial and I love your sign :) Thanks for sharing!

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  3. What an awesome sign! Totally pinning this so I can do it when I have some extra cash! :) xo Thank you!

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  4. LOVE IT!!! What a cute idea, I mean not only is it adorable for holiday decor, parties, and more... but you could use this to teach your kids about adjectives ending in -ful :) Thanks for sharing Emily!

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  5. What a fun sign! I love it---especially the yellow chalkboard paint!

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  6. UMMMM...YES! Totally high-jacking this (with full credit to your Amazing-FUL {LOL} Blog)!!

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  7. Emily, it's pretty awesome. Then if you are ever having a bad day you can switch it to Aw-ful, and your husband will know how you are feeling when he comes in:)

    Jessica
    stayathomeista.com

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  8. Yay for our Canton finds!!! Turned out awesome. How in the world such inspirations come to you in a split second while looking at rusty old letters I'll never know.... you're Queen of the Right-Brainers!!

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    1. Haha. The Queen of Right-Brainers. I always knew I should be the queen of something! ;)

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  9. Cute idea Emily! Thanks for sharing.
    Tami

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  10. Now won't this be useful on upcoming mantels! You can use it over and over and hardly ever repeat the word you use! Awesome.

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  11. This is such a cute project I love it!

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  12. ok....one of the cutest things I have seen in quite a long time! Might be a little in love!! totally doing this!! :)

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  13. I always knew you were full of it - full of fabulous ideas that is!

    You had me at chalkboard - and to make my own paint ... wheels spinning!
    Kelly

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  14. Emily, love, love, love your new chalkboard sign! Thank you for the tutorial!

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  15. Awesome...love your creativity!! Thanks for sharing this tutorial! Blessings!

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  16. Oh Emily, you are so creative!!! I would have never thought of this in a million years. Love it!

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  17. SO SO cute... I just love it...
    Thanks for sharing

    Carri
    simplydonewright.blogspot.com

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  18. What a cute idea! I love this so much, and I love that yellow! :)

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  19. I love this idea, and I'm liking everything YELLOW lately. Don't you love when an idea just comes to you? I wish I had that more often, this was a great one!

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  20. Oh how cute! I love this idea!!!! Very creative, and it looks lovely too!

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  21. I am ____ful for you sharing this _____ful idea. I am ____ful I can accomplish this project!
    Came over from Overflowing.

    Distressed Donna Down Home

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  22. That is amazing! BRAVO! BRILLIEANT!

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  23. شركة نقل عفش
    اهم شركات مكافحة حشرات بالخبر كذلك معرض اهم شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام والخبر والجبيل والخبر والاحساء والقطيف كذلك شركة رش حشرات بالدمام ومكافحة الحشرات بالخبر
    شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام
    شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة الجوهرة من افضل شركات تنظيف الخزانات بجدة حيث ان تنظيف خزانات بجدة يحتاج الى مهارة فى كيفية غسيل وتنظيف الخزانات الكبيرة والصغيرة بجدة على ايدى متخصصين فى تنظيف الخزانات بجدة
    شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة
    شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالدمام
    شركة نقل عفش واثاث

    ReplyDelete

  24. شركة نقل عفش بالرياض وجدة والدمام والخبر والجبيل اولقطيف والاحساء والرياض وجدة ومكة المدينة المنورة والخرج والطائف وخميس مشيط وبجدة افضل شركة نقل عفش بجدة نعرضها مجموعة الفا لنقل العفش بمكة والخرج والقصيم والطائف وتبوك وخميس مشيط ونجران وجيزان وبريدة والمدينة المنورة وينبع افضل شركات نقل الاثاث بالجبيل والطائف وخميس مشيط وبريدة وعنيزو وابها ونجران المدينة وينبع تبوك والقصيم الخرج حفر الباطن والظهران
    شركة نقل عفش بجدة
    شركة نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة نقل اثاث بالرياض
    شركة نقل عفش بالدمام

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  25. شركة نقل اثاث بالدمام التفاؤل شركة نقل اثاث بالخبر كما انها افضل شركة نقل اثاث بالجبيل نقل عفش واثاث بالجبيل والخبر والقطيف والدمام
    شركة نقل اثاث بالدمام
    شركة نقل اثاث بالجبيل

    ReplyDelete
  26. شركة الاوائل
    افضل شركة نقل اثاث وعفش بالرياض
    نمتلك العمالة المتخصصة والمحترفه بمجالهم
    شركة نقل اثاث بالرياض

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  27. تعد شركة ركن الامانة (0505561372) من الشركات المتخصصة فى اعمال التنظيف و النقل و المكافحة بالمنطقة الجنوبية فى المملكة العربية السعودية فهى تقدم خدمات متميزة وعلى اعلى مستوى من الخبرة و التقنية بالاعتماد على عمال مدربين ومتميزين فى عمالهم ونقدم خدمات باقل الاسعار التى تناسب جميع عملائنا الكرام فتواصلوا معنا
    شركة تنظيف بخميس مشيط
    شركة تنظيف منازل بخميس مشيط
    شركة تنظيف كنب بخميس مشيط
    شركة عزل اسطح بخميس مشيط
    شركة مكافحة حشرات بخميس مشيط

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  28. Oh I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! But if you are a email user, I think email login is the website you should bookmark, in case you have email problem or want to learn some helpful tips to use email more effectively.

    ReplyDelete

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