DIY Chalkboard

I know there are 112 tutorials out there on making your own chalk board. It isn't exactly rocket science.
But one thing I found different to do was using this CLEAR chalkboard coating from Americana DecoArt. I linked the amazon site, but Hobby Lobby's was way cheaper for the big bottle at $5.99 {without a coupon}.

The cool thing about this is you CAN make anything a chalkboard and in any color. Sure you can go buy tile grout and mix it in and all that, but I like less steps and mess. 

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1. Choose a surface and a cute helper. I choose this mirror I have had in storage for ever; just waiting to be called upon to be used for greatness.  I choose zinc color acrylic paint. When painting mirrors you need to use acrylic paint. Go slow and wait before adding extra coats for coverage as it can peel off. I had a bit of trouble with this, but I just used my foam brush gently and saturating the few areas that peeled and lightly smoothed them out.

2. After it is dry you paint on the clear coat horizontally and wait about an hour and then paint on another coat vertically. Then the instructions say let it cure for 24 hours before you coat it in chalk.

3. The next day I rubbed chalk all over, apparently this is the secret to chalkboards...I don't know why but it helps you write and erase better. Now for the moment of truth...as I was nervous it wouldn't truly work...BUT

edit: it worKed. Geez. How embarrassing. 

::hangs head in shame::

YAY! Up next a frame...that is in the works and then hanging it above our buffet. 

This is what our kitchen/buffet looked like before. I was tired of the wine/chef look and wanted something different.

 I wanted a new buffet {for cheap} but yet to find one. Plus, we paid a LOT of good money for this one and selling it for $50 really didn't seem right. So I do what I always do, I improvise. I took the top off and am updating the look with stuff from around my house. So far my buffet update has cost me $8 at best. $1.49 for the cheveron runner and $7ish for the chalk board paint materials. Everything else I own/found or re-purposed. That feels good to me.  I have a whole bunch of projects I have been working on around the house to update and change/organize and so far I have maybe spent under $30 for all of it!

I can't wait to get the chalkboard completed and hung so I can change out the quotes with lots of fun and inspirational sayings!