Regina Lord currently lives in southern Arizona with the love of her life and her two beautiful boys. She is passionate about doing what she loves and incorporates art into her daily living whether though painting, drawing, photography, art journaling, sewing or blogging about her creative passions. You can see more of what she does on her website Creative Kismet.
Have you noticed the chalkboard paint craze? It’s everywhere! On walls, doors, jars, posts. Really you can put it on just about anything. I’ve already painted it on my pantry door, but thought it would be fun to do something more portable for my kids. Something they could carry around, take in their room or on a long road trip.
I thought a painted board book would be fun and perfect for this idea. So, I went on a trip to my local thrift shop and the hardware store to grab a few things in order to try this out. All you really need is a large board book, a can of chalkboard spray paint, sand paper and some gesso or white primer.
A board book is easy enough to paint, but needs a little prep so that the paint stays on and doesn’t peel off.
- Most books have a glossy finish, so with a bit of sandpaper lightly sand the surface of each page– just enough to take the gloss off.
- Paint or spray a light layer of either gesso or spray paint primer. Pages may start to curl, but will flatten out when they dry.
- Spray on chalkboard paint according to manufacturer’s directions. I did a couple of layers on each page allowing sufficient drying time between layers.
- Once the book is dry, you can keep it as is, or go a step further and make different activities for the kids to play. I used a permanent white marker for this so that it wouldn’t wipe away when cleaning up the chalk.
Other fun chalk board ideas for you to try:
- Chalkboard Labels and Lids and Jars: chalk board labels :: Kitchen organisation :: Pretty jars
- Chalkboard walls and doors
- Planter pots
- Custom chalkboard colors recipe and ideas
- Chalkboard Tabletop
- Ideas for a toddler/kids room
- Chalkboard clothespins
- party & wedding ideas
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
This is so totally cool I just love it!!! Brilliant idea!!!
Best chalkboard paint idea EVER! Magnificent!
What a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial.
AWESOME!
This is wonderful!!! I was just at a Teacher store. I wanted to buy laptop chalkboards for my boys for homeschool this year but as I looking at it I thought I bet I could do this. And then here is a great tutorial!!! THANK YOU.
This is a fantastic idea!! So doing this.
What a fabulous idea – can’t wait to try it out for my little ones!
What an amazing idea … I just love it! Have to make one for my youngest.
Thanks for sharing this. Some of my nieces and nephews might be getting these for Christmas. :)
What a totally cool idea! I am needing new space saving toys for my 3 year old… this will fit perfect into the little RV that we’ll be living in soon. (Thank you Bastrop TX fires for the reason to move…)
This is a GREAT idea and one I am definately going to make for my neice and nephew – how awesome!!! I have been really into blackboards lately and just did a post about making blackboard designs using digital scrapbook software. Check it out here: http://sheryourscraps.blogspot.com/2011/09/blackboard-art-for-digital-pages.html
What a great idea! And perfect timing: I just used chalkboard paint (regular, though, not spray paint) for a small project and have been wondering how to use up the rest!
Brilliant! I love your white-marker activities, such a fabulously clever idea! Thanks for a great tutorial, Regina!
What a great idea! Thanks!
This is such a great idea! And, it’s spurring further iterations as I sit here thinking. Thank you for the inspiration. I know what my nieces & nephews are getting for Christmas!
You. Are. Brilliant!
love this!!
Thank you so very much for the shout out on my Pretty Jars! Yay!
Jo-Anna
This is awesome! Do you think I could use chalk board paint, rather than spray? I got some for another project and have to use it.
Yes of course you can!
This is SUCH a unique and fun idea! I just love it! Thanks for sharing.
OMG I am loving this – found on Pinterest. great for a car trip!!!!
chalkboard spray paint is fabulous, I’ve used it on jar lids to make tea storage: http://nestfullofeggs.blogspot.com/2009/11/day-5-repurposing-jar.html
& an advent calendar: http://nestfullofeggs.blogspot.com/2009/11/day-20-repurposing-jar.html
AMAZING!
this is the most adorable project ever!!! so so clever!
I Love this idea!
What did you use for the tittle?
I can’t get over how much I adore this idea! Such a phenomenal idea- thanks you for sharing it with all of us! I wish I could drive to Home Depot this minute and get this done today! :) Thank heaven for pinterest since I can’t, eh? ;) Hope you have a great rest of the week!
okay, THAT’s just plain genius :)
What a wonderful idea!
Does it have to be white primer? I have black. I’m excited to make a couple of these for Christmas presents!
I am sure black would be fine!
I featured this idea on my blog:
http://seemesew.blogspot.com/
thanks for the great idea!
Is the gesso or spray paint primer necessary? I don’t have any on hand. Great idea!
I’m inspired! I’m completing some Montessori training work and one requirement is a handmade book. Every idea I thought of I kept thinking, “I can’t draw/paint that” in regards to illustrations, BUT what better way to do it than to have the kids be the illustrators!!!!!!!! I love, love, love it!
One question, how did you spray the pages without them sticking together? Did you have to spray a page, wait for it to dry, spray another page, wait for it to dry, etc.?
Thank you for this FABULOUS idea!
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