Upcycled floral DIY chalkboard.

What do you do with a plain, white, framed piece of wood that you find randomly at work? I don’t know about you, but I make a chalkboard! Then I add polka dots and flowers until I can barely see straight. Then I hang it on the wall and admire my work. You can do the same. Here’s how to make a piece of wood into a DIY chalkboard, and embellish it with tons of fun flowers. Whee!

Gather These Supplies

Big white thing to make a chalkboard on (frame)
Mod Podge Gloss and Fabric
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – Jamaican Sea, Wicker White, Yellow Citron
FolkArt Chalkboard Paint – White
Fabric pieces – I used Brenda Pinnick’s new line Couleur Vie in Abstract Blue/Light Blue and some additional teal fabric scraps that I had
Sizzix Big Shot and the following dies – Flower Layers with Leaf, Flowers 3-D
Felt pieces – turquoise and yellow
Prima flowers – coordinating
Buttons – coordinating
Craft Glue
Paintbrush

Here’s the junky board before I started. Poor thing needs some help, don’t you think? At least it’s framed. I wonder what it used to be.

I first touched up the entire frame with Wicker White, to get rid of the banged up look. Allow to dry, then paint the outside of the frame with Yellow Citron. You’ll need several coats, so you might want to watch old Patridge Family re-runs on TV while you are working. Not sure where that reference came from, ha!

While you are waiting, prepare your fabric with Mod Podge. Lay your fabric out on a non-stick surface (wax paper works great) and spread a medium layer of Mod Podge over the top with a brush. Allow to dry and then you’ll be ready to run it through your die cutter.  The Mod Podge actually helps prevent fraying of the fabric when you cut it. Isn’t that special? Set it aside for a bit.

PS – Did you notice my nail polish went away? My fingers got banged up in the making of this board. That’s pretty typical.  Manicures + crafting = disaster.

Paint the inside of your framed piece with White chalkboard paint.  It takes about three coats to get full coverage. It’s very thick; that is normal. Allow to dry.

Use the end of a paintbrush and Jamaican Sea to polka dot the frame. Allow to dry.

Once the frame is fully dry, coat with Mod Podge Gloss. DO NOT get Mod Podge on the chalkboard paint or it will ruin the properties and you won’t be able to write on it. Allow the Mod Podge to dry.

Cut your flowers out with your Sizzix and dies. The Flowers 3-D by Beth Reames is very, very fun. It enables you to cut a flower pattern that you roll around on stick to make a 3-D bloom. I know that makes no sense, but you can see the results on the finished project. Cool, huh?

I cut out several flowers with my Sizzix and then layered them with my Prima flowers. I used both fabric and felt to cut the flowers, and then glued everything together (and added buttons for good measure). Be sure to use various sizes and materials. It makes the finished project more interesting.

Here’s a detail shot of the finished project. I’m so pleased with the bright green and teal shades, and I know my friend LollyChops will be too (she loves those colors). She’s also the one who introduced me to the Flowers 3-D die, so this project is in honor of her.  Thanks Lolls! xo