MakingMine

This little piggy was my first project after a major thrifting haul. He was pretty scratched up, but for 49¢ I thought he was cute enough to take home. And with just a bit of chalkboard paint and imagination, this porker now has a new home atop my stove. 

And yes, I fully realize the irony of this project given I’m eliminating animal products from my diet :)

With the Creighton Alumni party coming up, I knew I was going to be baking and displaying an array of goodies this weekend. I decided to add a festive touch to the normal serving platters by making chalkboard signs. I was originally planning on just using plain rectangles for signs, but then I found these awesome wooden ornament cut-outs that would work perfectly with our holiday theme. All that was left was to buy the base colors and chalkboard paint. It was all SO easy - here are my steps…

A couple of things to note:

• I used liquid chalk (shown above) because I have a set that I use for the large chalkboard in our kitchen, but you can use traditional chalk as well. This stuff is amazing though - I highly recommend it!
• Make sure to follow the instructions on the back of your chalk paint can. Mine required at least 2 coats and suggested letting the item dry for 24 hours before use.
• Before writing on your newly painted chalk surface, rub a piece of traditional chalk over the entire surface and then wipe clean with soap and water (I used Windex)

I also ended up threading a piece of ribbon through the hole on the top to complete the “ornament” look and used tiny wooden clothes pins (purchased for a different project) to hold the signs upright as displays (more photos to follow).

This was a fun project that I’m sure will get repeated use throughout the season!