{DIY} Chalkboard Wall Calendar - Pinterest Challenge

When these girls......


.....announced it was time for another Pinterest Challenge........

















I knew exactly what I wanted to do!  As you know I'm working on creating a mudroom out of this hallway.  You can read about my plans to make this happen here, but just to jog your memory here's a picture to give you an idea of what I'm working with here.

The closet doors will be coming down, but even still because it is such a narrow hallway I didn't want to put any hooks on the blank wall.  I did want to do something special with that wall though.  With two active, school aged kids we. are. busy. - like busier than we've ever been.  There's always a practice, a game, a birthday party, a book report due, and the list goes on.  Add to that my hub doesn't work a typical 9 to 5 job, so I have to keep up with his schedule too.  Anyhow, to make a long story short I wanted to put a family calendar in our mudroom space, where we will all see it as we're coming and going.  We desperately needed something to help us manage our daily chaos!  I've never been good at keeping important dates and reminders on my iPhone, so having a calendar I can write things down on was really key for me.

I found some great pinspiration for wall calendars!

                                                             Source: marthastewart.com via Carmel (@ Our Fifth House) on Interest

This one is from none other than the Queen of Organization herself - Martha Stewart.

This one is similar to Martha's, but it's done with chalkboard contact paper/vinyl instead of chalkboard paint.

                                                         Source: momtastic.com via Carmel (@ Our Fifth House) on Pinterest

You can find the tutorial for this version here at Momtastic.

I liked both of these versions, but I really wanted something BIGGER.  I combined the two pinspiring ideas and came up with my own much LARGER version!

Yeah, that's right - it's a whole dang wall y'all!  I'm in LOVE with it - I've been calling it "the motherboard of the house" - ha!

Want to make one?  It's so easy (a little bit time consuming, but so worthwhile)!

Uh-huh, I busted out the markers and crayons.  I measured the wall from the bottom of the crown molding to the top of the baseboard.  Then I did a little math (if I can do it, you can do it).  The blue lines represent the tape lines.  You will want to be sure to take the width of the tape into consideration when you're calculating the spacing.  The tape I used had a 1 inch width.  Drawing the plan out on paper really makes it all very easy to understand, so definitely do not skip this step.  And keep in mind that your drawing doesn't need to be drawn to scale.  Once you have a plan, you're ready for step 2.

I prefer to use a foam roller when I'm painting a chalkboard surface.  I like the smooth finish it gives the paint.  This was my first time using the Scotch Blue Edge Lock tape, and I didn't think it did any better than the Frog Tape I typically use.  I guess that's just a personal preference.

The most time consuming part of the project is the taping.

I used the measuring tape and followed my plan.   (After I finished taping, I had a couple of holes to patch from things that used to hang on this wall which is why you see a little paint on the tape lines in the above photo. ) 

* Here's a helpful little tip that helps to save time when you're taping lines: Instead of drawing full lines, make little dots every few inches and just run the tape connecting the dots.


The last step is the easiest!

It took 3 coats.  I started pulling the tape off before the last coat was dry.  I did have to touch up the lines in a few areas, but overall the tape gave me nice crisp lines.

I primed and painted the light switch so it would blend in with the wall.

Here are a few more close-ups.

Now, thanks to the Pinterest Challenge, I'm one project closer to completing Mission Create-A-Mudroom!  

Big Shout Out to Katie, Sherry, Cassie, and Erin!  Thanks for issuing a challenge and motivating me to crawl out of the sofa indention I've been living in lately!

So, did any of you take the challenge?  Anyone else still loving chalkboard paint as much as I do?  I know it's like so 2010, but if loving it is wrong..............I guess I'm wrong then.




Linking up at Hi Sugarplum!, Young House Love, Bower Power, The Great Indoors, Thrifty Decor Chick