Fall Give Thanks Chalkboard Sign - A tutorial on how to make your own fall chalkboard sign.

* I was given the Liquid Chalkers pens to test and review. All opinions expressed about this product are my own – see bottom of post for review. This post contains affiliate links and I may receive compensation when these links are used to purchase products.*

Every year, a senior community next to us holds an annual garage sale. It’s a HUGE sale and draws a lot of traffic, so you have to be quick if you want to find hidden treasures. Unfortunately, we were a little late, but I did manage to find an old beat up picture frame.

nicked frame

 

The frame was nicked, covered in dust, had no backing, and the mat frame was yellowed and warped. I had no idea what I was going to do with this frame, but I knew it had the potential to become something wonderful, so I paid the $2.00 asking price and walked away with an unpolished gem.  For several months, this frame has been sitting in our garage waiting for its makeover day and it’s finally here 🙂 It’s been polished and reborn into a Fall Give Thanks Chalkboard Sign!

Supplies:

Black chalkboard

1. Remove the glass from the frame. Wipe down the frame and glass to remove any dust and oils. Let the pieces dry completely.

2. Spray glass or paint chalkboard paint on the glass.  Let the paint dry completely – at least 24 hours. ***Optional – prime glass with a primer to help paint adhere – using just chalkboard paint on glass without a primer can peel off. I recommend priming the glass if you plan on using the chalkboard regularly. ***

3. While the chalkboard paint is drying, spray paint the frame with white spray paint. Once dry, distress the frame edges using a sander or sand paper. Wipe and dust off any particles and set aside.

Chalk Lettering

 

4.  Prep the chalkboard surface by dusting the entire glass chalkboard with  chalk. I did this by rubbing a large sheet of paper with the side of a chalk and then rubbing that paper all over the glass chalkboard. I did it this way because I did not prime my glass and writing directly on the glass without an under layer of primer can scratch the surface chalkboard paint. ***You can skip prepping the surface if you don’t plan on changing out the writing.***

6. Use PicMonkey to print out your quote and font style. I enlarged the words to the 720 size.

7. Flip over the printed quote and rub chalk all over the wrong side of the paper.

8. Position the quote, right side up, on your chalkboard and tape down. Using the chalk, trace the lettering. Remove the paper and you should see the faint outline of the letters.

9. Using the liquid chalkers, trace the letters and fill in. Don’t worry about being perfect…it’s supposed to look like it’s hand written 🙂 However, do use a ruler or paper to help keep your letters straight

10. Repeat steps 4-7  until the entire quote is done.

Closeup without frame

11. Add any other artwork to enhance your design. *** I added a heart using a cardboard template and some lines.***

12. Once all the lettering and artwork is complete, position fall leaves around the board. Adhere the leaves using painter’s tape or regular tape. ***I use painter’s tape because it leaves less residue and I may want to change these out at a later time.***

Give Thanks Chalkboard Sign - A tutorial on making a fall give thanks chalkboard sign.

13. Place the glass chalkboard back in the frame and display.

Liquid Chalkers Review –

Pros:

  • Dries quickly
  • Easy to use
  • Writes nicely on glass and is easily wiped off – I recommend using on a glass surfaces only (mirrors, bottles, windows, etc…)
  • Glows in the dark with black light

Cons:

  • Does not wipe off chalkboard paint! It leaves a residue and has to be scraped off, which can damage a painted on chalkboard finish
  • Is permanent on non-porous surfaces

 

This chalkboard sign was my first one, but I can totally see myself making a ton of signs. Have you made a chalkboard sign?

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2014

Similar Posts

39 Comments

  1. Pingback: 13 Great DIY Thanksgiving Projects for the Entire Family

  2. You are always unique with your projects. This is a good tutorial on how to revamp any old painting, really. Thank you for linking it up to our linky party. It’s always a pleasure partying with you. Can’t wait to see what you’ll bring us in just a few hours!

    Reply

  6. Hi Erlene! You are so creative. I wish I had it in me. I love seeing what you bring to our #TheWeekendSocial. Fun stuff! You’re always invited back Thursdays 9:00 PM EST.

    Reply

  8. Love, love this! So creative and great for this harvest/thanksgiving season! Thanks so much for sharing this on Wine’d Down Wednesday!
    Cathy

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.