DIY Rustic, Moss Chalkboard
Hey friends! I've got another easy and inexpensive project for you...just in time for the fun season of family gatherings and gift giving arrives. Before I begin, I wanted to remind you to follow along with me on Pinterest, Instagram, HomeTalk and Facebook, so you don’t miss any blog posts!!
This post is all about how to make your own rustic, moss chalkboard! It's an inexpensive and easy project that I know you'll love making for your own home!
First, I'd like to point out where all this inspiration came from, which occurred when I was prepping for a live video tutorial on HomeTalk's Facebook page. The focus was on how to make a "DIY, Pottery-Barn Inspired Moss Letter," and you can learn how to make one yourself by clicking here.
Let's begin!
Supplies
old or unwanted frame with glass insert
chalkboard paint
a couple of sponge brushes
drop cloth or some sort of protective layer for the frame and glass to rest on
chalk
hot glue gun and long glue sticks
"bushy" moss (see pic below)
plastic fork
Start with a few preparations: heat your hot-glue gun, clean the glass, and remove it from the frame. Follow the directions on your paint can, or do what I do....Before opening the paint, make sure the lid is on real tight, and give it a good shake to insure that the paint is mixed really well.
Next, using your sponge brush, spread a few, thin layers of the chalkboard paint onto the glass. This step will take a little patience. Trust me....I've had to learn the hard way. If you don't let the paint dry in between each coat, it will pull up and off the glass at random spots, and it's just a pain to have to keep fixing that problem. So, if you just give it a little patience, you'll save yourself a lot of headache. ;)
(The above photo is how the paint looks after the first coat of chalkpaint.)
(The above photo is how it looks after a few layers.)
While the paint's drying in between coats, work on your moss frame.
The directions are really easy, so pay attention or you'll miss it! ;) Tear apart your moss into little pieces, and then add strips of hot glue to your frame. Quickly add your moss, while the glue's hot, and then press down the moss using your plastic fork. Easy peasy!
Now that your frame is covered in moss, you're ready to add the glass insert into the frame!
All you have to do now is "season" the chalkboard. Take your chalk, rest it on its side, and slide it from side to side, completely covering the chalkboard.
Then, take a napkin or cloth and gently wipe all the chalk off, giving your chalkboard a "rustic" look.
Now that you've seasoned your chalkboard, it's time to add the pretty details. ;) Get creative on this one! You can add some fun garland, like the one I made below, and then use your leftover chalk to spell out a meaningful word, such as "family," "gather," "home," or the current season! Or even try out some stickers! I placed some stickers onto the chalkboard as a tester (as seen in the pic below). Another fun idea is to use a stencil and some liquid chalk.
But I decided to go with the handwritten look. It's now sitting as pretty decor in front of our fireplace. ;) Oh, and I added a diy, faux birchwood banner as a little accessory to my chalkboard. Want to learn how to make this banner? Click here. ;)
And just as another pretty background, I had to display it in front of our shiplap. (Who else loves shiplap?!)
