DIY Chalkboard Frame Tutorial

Ya know how excited kids are when they get a new toy? That’s how excited I am when I get a new craft supply. I get all excited about the possibilities and I can’t wait to make something cool. Then I get nervous that I am going to screw it up. Then I get purely giddy when it starts coming together how I pictured it in my head. 

This post brought to you by Duck Brand. 

Two weeks later, I am still giddy about how this project turned out.

In addition to creating something fun with my new toys, I love that this project allowed me to upcycle something old. Something that most people would have seen as garbage into something new and wonderful. 

Materials

• Duck Brand® Chalkboard Deco Adhesive Laminate
• Duck Brand® Dry Erase Deco Adhesive Laminate
• Old frame (with glass)
• Spray paint
• Embellishments
• Chalk
• String

I started with an old picture frame (and I mean old, it came out of my husband’s grandmother’s house). I gave it a good cleaning and an upgrade with a coat of white spray paint.

Next I took out the glass and covered it with the Chalkboard Deco Adhesive Laminate.

Only this is where I almost messed up the whole project — I dropped the glass. (You can see the chipped bottom left corner.) In order to protect the glass from cracking further, I cut a piece of cardboard the same size. Then when I wrapped the glass with the Chalkboard Laminate, I folded it around the cardboard. Even if you don’t break your glass – the cardboard made the whole project more sturdy so you might want to add this optional step in.

After putting the chalkboard covered glass back in the frame, I decided it needed some embellishments. So I raided my stash and came up with some craft buttons.

I decided the project still needed a little something. Since I created this project as a birthday gift for my daughter’s Kindergarten teacher, I decided it needed personalization. So I grabbed a roll of Dry Erase Deco Adhesive Laminate (white) and ran it through my Cricut — worked like a charm. Let me repeat — Duck Brand® Deco Laminate works with Cricut machines. A world of possibilities opened up for me. Plus Duck Brand® Deco Laminate is sold in 10 feet rolls — do you know how many projects you can make with 10 feet?!

(Name redacted for privacy.)

I wondered how the chalkboard surface would work – if I wrote on it would it really come clean? The answer is yes! I tested the surface over and over and was very impressed with it. 

I tied a string to the hook on the back of the frame, attached a piece of chalk and ta-da teacher’s gift done.

Now the only question is, what to make next?