It’s Amy from Atta Girl Says, and I’m thrilled to be guest posting at seven thirty three again this month, sharing a hands-on, crafty home decor project. That’s my favorite kind!
 I may be just a tad obsessed with chalkboard art.

And judging from Pinterest, I’m not alone. But I have a little secret that would surely disappoint my former elementary school teachers: my handwriting is abysmal — especially when I’m writing with chalk.
But I’ve figured out a way to create perfect chalkboard art — and I thought I’d share the secret with you.

I’ve been cozying up our front porch for winter, and the space above the bench was just screaming for some seasonal artwork. It was the perfect excuse to break out my paint and brushes.

The “Baby It’s Cold Outside” chalkboard sign began life as a cutting board I picked up for less than $1 at Goodwill. 
While I don’t think I’d resuse a thrift store wooden cutting board for its original purpose, I absolutely love making signs from them.

Here’s another cutting board sign I made using a free printable and Mod Podge photo transfer medium.
But back to the project at hand. The first thing I did was paint the cutting board with two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite. But any flat slate or dark gray paint would work.

 Now, here’s the secret for how I get my chalkboard typography to look picture perfect every time. I cut a one-time-use stencil from vinyl using my Silhouette Cameo. 
I used a mix of fonts and snowflakes to create that chalkboard art look.

My measurements happened to be a little off, so I had to cut the stencil to make it fit the cutting board. It all worked in the end, but ideally, you want to design your stencil to fit your sign.

I love making stencils from vinyl because they create sharp paint lines, like painter’s tape, if you’re careful to press down the edges of the vinyl.
When stenciling, it’s best to use a round stencil brush. I use a dry brush technique, meaning I remove most of the paint from the brush, and apply the paint in a circular motion. For this project, I used two light coats of white craft paint to create my letters; I didn’t want complete coverage because I was trying to make the paint look like chalk.

Once the letters were mostly dry, I peeled off the vinyl and distressed the sign using a damp Magic Eraser. The Magic Eraser picked up bits of slightly damp paint and I worked it into the board to look like chalk dust. You can also dip a damp, lint free cloth in a tiny bit of paint and gently rub that over your “chalkboard.”

I love how this project turned out, and I can’t wait to make more chalkboards.

I love how it looks on my winter wonderland front porch. To see more of the winter front porch, please  pop over for a visit as I join 24 other bloggers sharing details of how we cozy up our homes during the winter. I’ll also be sharing tutorials for the three other signs I used on the porch, including a free chalkboard printable, next week.
 
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