Chalkboard Art Inspiration Wall // Have you ever had a GREAT idea and then just couldn’t find the time to make it happen? I had this idea to create a chalkboard wall filled with inspirational quotes for my kitchen wall, about a million years ago… ok, well maybe five months ago when we first moved into our house here in Lincoln. I’ve been collecting chalkboards from Decor Steals for a bit, and had all the supplies, just none of the time to make it happen. Sadly we’ve lived with a naked wall for 5 months and last week I finally decided it was time, time to make this idea into a reality!
Will Vinyl Stick to a Chalkboard or Chalkboard Paint?
Yes! You have to get the right kind of vinyl so it will stick. You will also need to prep the chalkboard first. More on this later though. Just know that yes, vinyl will definitely stick.
Now here’s the deal… As much as I love chalkboard art like the fabulous pieces created by my friend Rhonna Farrer, I have NO talent when it comes to hand-lettered art, like none. I wish that I did! I can however design stuff on my computer, so I thought I would create my chalkboard signs with white vinyl and make it look like chalkboard art. Easy fix!
Well, not so fast… You need a few tips before you can make a successful vinyl chalkboard sign.
- You need to prime your chalkboard. Here is a tutorial on how to prime your chalkboard.
- You need to clean your chalkboard with a wet cloth to remove any chalk dust, you need to work with a clean slate. Any dust or chalk on the board will make it difficult for the vinyl to adhere to your board.
- Cut your vinyl with whatever method or machine you like, I have a Silhouette CAMEO so that’s what I used. I also used Silhouette Premium White Vinyl for this project as well. Affix your vinyl to your board using the transfer tape method.
- To make your chalkboard look like a chalkboard sign, you need to add some chalk to the board. You would think that drawing on the board with chalk would do the trick, it won’t. You risk compromising the vinyl. Here’s my super easy trick to solve this problem… Take a piece of chalk and place it in a Ziplock bag and crush with a hammer. Take a paper towel and load it with some chalk dust by placing it in the bag. Next, rub the chalk carefully all over the sign. Gently tap off the extra chalk and volia, you have a fabulous chalkboard sign. That’s all there is to it!
What Supplies Do You Need to Create Vinyl Chalkboard Art?
There are only a few things you’ll need and I’ve covered a little so far already. I’ll list them here so you can get your supplies!
- Silhouette CAMEO (This is the bundle pack which is a really good deal!)
- The right kind of vinyl so it sticks to the chalkboard
- A chalkboard (if you don’t have it already)
That’s really all you need.
Chalkboard Quotes I Like
Here are the different quotes that I’ve been collecting for a while. Now that my girls are getting older {15,11 & almost 9} I wanted them to see something inspiring and uplifting each day before they head off into the world. Here are the quotes that I settled on…
“Choose your friends with caution. Plan your future with purpose and frame your life with faith.” This quote is from Thomas S. Monson the President of our Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. “Always be kinder than necessary.” – J.M.Barrie
“You can change your future simply by changing your attitude.” This quote was suggested by Lil’Whip my 15 year old daughter Hales. I thought it was VERY appropriate. She’s not totally sure where she found the quote, so unfortunately I can’t give proper credit. “Let your smile change the world, but don’t let the world change your smile.” Again, this was from Lil’Whip’s Pinterest board, but we couldn’t find the person to give credit to, bummer!
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know why the number 22 is my favorite number. Both my husband and I are born on the 22nd of two different months so of course, we also had to get married on the 22nd as well. It’s our number, so I had to add it to the board. The Thoming sign is from Signs by Andrea and I just adore it! I added the honeycomb graphic to go with the bee on one of the top boards. It’s to symbolize that, to have a successful family we ALL need to work together to create a successful home. I found the “Do small things with great love” quote from Lena Henzel.
I’m not totally finished with the project, I’m planning on adding some pops of color today for “Project Add Color” and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I’ll show it off again when I’m totally finished. I may also have the svg files for you to download as well for the quotes that I used. Soooo, stay tuned!
