This chalkboard game tray will help your kids get through long road trips and rainy summer days. The checkerboard is perfect for games of checkers or chess, which seems like an obvious use. I’ll be frank, I can only play … Continue reading
By Chris Wallace for Walnut Hollow
I thought that this would be very appropriate for my final blog post – a “To Do” Clock! I’m retiring and I hope “to do” more of what time hasn’t allowed for before. I hope I have time to do more creating – it’s at the top of my list.
You will need 2 Modern Plaques for this project. Both of them are Savannah Plaques – one is larger and one is smaller and thinner. They work well together because they have the same shape. Decide where you will place the clock movement on the large Savannah Plaque. Mark the hole location with a pencil. Use a drill with a 3/8” drill bit to make the hole.
Using a large flat brush, apply DecoArt® Americana® Chalkboard Paint in Black to the large Savannah Plaque. Use a large flat brush to apply DecoArt® Americana® Indian Turquoise to the smaller Savannah Thin Plaque. To make the turquoise plaque ready for chalk, apply DecoArt® Americana® Chalkboard Paint in Clear to the top surface. The Clear Chalkboard paint is great because you can turn any color into a chalkboard.
Use Marvy® Chalk Markers to add clock numbers and details to both plaques. I used white on the black chalkboard and red on the “To Do” list. Use Tombow® MONO Multi Liquid Glue to adhere the Savannah Thin Plaque to the large Savannah Plaque.
Attach the clock movement (TQ700P – with the 3/4″ shaft) and hands following the manufacturer’s instructions on the back of the packaging. Insert an AA battery and set the time.
I hope you have enjoyed creating with me. It has been my pleasure to share with you what I love to do. Now I’m off to retirement and to do more of what makes me happy!
By Chris Wallace for Walnut Hollow
Indeed…….Life is Good!
When you see the Hinged Sign in a craft store for purchase this is what it will look like. It’s covered with plastic wrap and includes a little label showing you it can be used 2 ways.
I have created 2 projects here to show you both ways.
The first project is a made to look like a little “sandwich board”.
Using DecoArt® Americana® Indian Turquoise acrylic paint with Americana® Clear Chalkboard paint over the top of it. When you apply the Clear Chalkboard coating over any acrylic paint it simply turns the surface into chalkboard. Great product!
Once all the paints were thoroughly dry, I adhered washi tape around the outside edges of the chalkboard area. Use a Marvy/Uchida® Bistro Chalk Marker to write any saying.
Another way to use the Hinged Sign is standing on the side. It can be used in many ways, but this time I made it as a frame for pet photos.
Adhere decorative paper to the raw wood leaving a small frame of raw wood showing. Mount your photos onto a matching cardstock paper and adhere it to the decorative paper. Adding a few “X’s” and “O’s” makes a finishing touch of color and meaning to the photos. We love our pets!
Chris Wallace for Walnut Hollow
Who doesn’t love the look of a Chalkboard project – especially when it soooooo easy to accomplish? Anyone could make this Clock. I promise!
I used DecoArt Black Chalkboard Paint with a large flat brush to basecoat the Paneled Wood Clock with 2 coats. Read the directions on the bottle – 1 coat should be brushed on horizontally, the next vertically, then let dry for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, use a piece of regular chalk to rub all over the surface of the clock. Wipe off excess with a paper towel.
Now comes the fun part. Use a Marvy Bistro Chalk Marker to make the hand drawn numbers and hour words. You can create any type of font you like – after I did this, I thought that it looked pretty much like I used to teach grammar school many years ago!
I added sort of a rick-rack design for the border with the Chalk Marker to finish the project.
A pendulum clock movement was chosen to make the Clock more unique. Follow the directions on the back of the packaging to attach the movement to the Clock. Add one AA battery – set the time and you’re ready to hang your new Clock up on the wall.
Except for the 24 dry time, you can do this in a couple of hours – easy! What are you waiting for? It’s TIME for a new Clock.
Santa will certainly be able to find our home this year! He lives so far away……….didn’t realize it was 3,250 miles away until I did the math, which is based upon us living in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.
I used (2) 36” Stakes to hold up the Wide Rustic Arrow Pallet sign. Can’t wait to put it in our front yard – the stakes will help it stay above the snow so Santa can see it!
White Krylon spray was used to easily basecoat the Arrow. Once dry, I used DecoArt’s Clear Chalkboard brush on paint so I could use Uchida’s Chalk Markers.
The Clear Chalkboard paint is really great because you can turn anything into a surface to use the Chalk Markers which can be wiped off and used again.
I used the red Chalk Marker for the lettering, stitch border, and berries. The green Chalk marker was used for the holly. Use the white Chalk Marker for the final added touch of snowflakes.
Figuring out how far Santa was from Dodgeville became a math problem. “Google” can help you find the distance from your home. Merry Christmas!
I love Kristin’s Tag project from last week, very classic and clean. I decided to add a bit more color to my Tag to fit into a special nook to leave notes.
I’ve been having lots of fun with Chalkboard Paint lately. Guess I like the idea of making a note or reminder for the family, then erasing it for the next one. The Tag Plaque is a new item for Walnut Hollow and a very on-trend design so putting these two ideas together – a Tag Chalkboard – just seemed like a great thing to do!
The easiest way to go about making this project is to basecoat the top of the Tag Plaque first with the chalkboard paint. I used a large flat brush to apply one coat, waited an hour, then applied the second coat. Make sure you read the instructions on the bottle of chalkboard paint that you are using and follow the manufacturers instructions – they are not all the same. For this project, I used Martha Stewart’s Black Chalkboard Paint.
While I waited for the first coat to dry, I used a medium flat brush to paint the decorative edge of the Tag – I choose DecoArt American Indian Turquoise to compliment the Que Sera Sera paper from K & Company. I know, I know……I keep using this paper, but I’ve told you before that it’s my favorite!
Once the 2nd coat is down, you will need to wait for 24 hours so the paint is dry, cured, and ready to be used. During that wait, prepare the paper by using a trimmer to cut it the width and length you would like. Mine was trimmed to 2 ½” x 8 ½”. I used a Fiskars paper edger punch for the decorative edge on the paper. You can cut the three pieces of ribbon approximately 12” each.
Once the 24 hour wait is over, prepare the chalkboard surface (as directed in the instructions) by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk all over the chalkboard paint and wipe the dust off with a soft cloth. This rubbing prepares the surface for using and reusing it with chalk.
To finish the Tag Chalkboard, use Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue or MONO Aqua Glue to adhere the paper to the bottom and tie the ribbon through the hole at the top of the Tag.
Now you are ready to leave notes and reminders for your family……a fun, fast and easy project for your home!
Sometimes we designers get wrapped up in creating complicated projects that no one would ever do except us! I’m very guilty of that myself – so that’s why I can say it… Anyway, some of the best designs are simple, straightforward and anyone can duplicate them. That’s exactly what our new designer friend Kristin St Clair did when I asked her to create something special for us on Walnut Hollow’s new Tag Plaque.
Kristin’s Chalkboard Message Tag is simple, yet unique in that she added a thin chalk shelf to the bottom which will definitely make it easier to find the chalk when you’re ready to write another note. The rope she used at the top is similar to clothesline cord, adding a nice touch to the piece. Not sure if you are addicted to chalkboard paint like I am, but you’ll like it a lot once you start using it. So, give this project a try – you’ll love hanging it where you and your family can write notes for each other!
by Kristin St Clair
See more work for Kristin on her website- www.lemmemakeit.com
Today is Day 4 of sharing projects and ideas using Tombow® products. We are also having a week-long contest with the grand prize of products from Tombow and Walnut Hollow.
To put your name in the basket, you will need to do two things:
Each day we will randomly choose a finalist and choose a winner from those finalists on the last day. The winner will be announced here at 1:00 pm (CST) Monday, May 6th.
We’re sending a special thank you to Tombow for asking us to play and create with them!
See the Tombow Design Team/ Bloggers:
Debbie Fisher, Melissa Cash, Jennie Garcia, Marie Browning
When we designed this wood piece, I loved it from the beginning. I’m a list maker! I like writing things down so I don’t have to remember all of the “things”. And, of course, chalkboards are so trendy and really easy to make and use. It didn’t take too many items to create this handy Message Board.
I started this simple project by using a large flat brush to basecoat the entire Message Board with 1 coat of DecoArt® Americana® Indian Turquoise acrylic paint. I lightly sanded the Board after it was dry with fine sandpaper.
Tape off the area you want for the chalkboard. Use your fingers to really press the tape down as securely as possible so you won’t have any paint leak under the tape. I used 2 coats Martha Stewart’s Black Chalkboard paint inside the taped area. If any paint does leak, use a small liner brush to go back and paint over the leak with the Indian Turquoise acrylic paint. Following the directions on the Chalkboard paint, let it dry 24 hours. Rub the surface with chalk to condition it.
Measure and cut your decorative cardstock with a paper trimmer to place under the notepad space. Now this is where you want to be sure to use Tombow’s MONO Aqua Liquid Glue to glue the paper down to the surface.
Believe me, I’ve used lots of different glues to adhere paper to our wood surfaces. Nothing works better than this Tombow glue!
For whatever reason, other glues will eventually ripple the paper or create bubbles under the paper. Use the larger end of the Aqua Glue applicators and apply it to the back of the cardstock. Flip over and press in place on the Message Board. Let dry thoroughly.
I used the Tombow Fasterner Tabs to attach the notepad in place. Once you have used up that pad, just add another Tab to the new notepad and press in place. Hang your Message Board and start your lists!
