UPDATE //
I have since redone my chalkboard menu now that I have a Silhouette and this is what the final menu now looks like…
Sooooo much better!! Below you will find the orininal tutorial on how to make a chalkboard menu for your family.
The other day I was reading Jen’s post from Tatertots & Jell-o about her lovely Chalkboard Chargers and it got me thinking.
I have a beautiful black armoire in my kitchen that was screaming for some chalkboard treatment.
Can’t you just see it? A lovely menu board on the side! So I got to work. First I washed the side to prep it for the paint. I then taped off the section that was going to be my work space.
Now we are ready to paint!
I used Rust-Oleum black chalkboard paint, and a small smooth surface roller. I painted three coats and let it cure for three days.
On the third day I cut vinyl lettering on my Cricut, (I used the Doodletype cartridge) and applied it to the surface before I seasoned the chalkboard.
Next, and very important, you must season your new chalkboard. To do that, all you need to do is take a piece of chalk, lay it on it’s side, and gently color the entire surface of the board.
Erase the chalk and voila, your new chalkboard is ready to use.
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what a great use for the side of your cabinet!
What a great idea. Love it!
Ooh, I really love this idea!
Wow! What a fun idea and it can go beyond a Menu board. Thanks
I need this for my husband! He is always asking two and three times, what are we having this week, or tonight. GREAT idea! Thanks!
totally love this! How much did the chalkboard paint cost?
Fantastic Idea & Great tutorial!
Mary Patterson
http://MarysCottageTreasures.com/
This is super cool! I absolutely love it 🙂
Great job Heather! I love this!!
Love it! What a great idea!
I just painted the top of our chest freezer with chalkboard paint to label everything inside…and I have leftover paint. This is a great idea. I just have to find something to paint. This my husband will care if I paint over a window? (Kidding, of course)
Can't even tell you how much I love this!!!
You did an excellent job! It looks great!
your menu should have included: Take the chef OUT for dinner!!
Absolutely LOVE it! I may even have to buy a cricut! Do you use regular chalk or the chalk markers?
Ooh this is fabulous!! Now to figure out how to add this without an armoire or anything remotely similar… 🙂
That looks awesome!! At first I was like "No! Don't do anything to that beautiful black armoire!" But it turned out fantastic and looks classy!
I love this idea! It looks great!!! And your menu sounds pretty good too. 🙂
This is fantastic. Love it! It turned out great, don't you think?
I'm definitely doing this. Do you know of where I can purchase the vinyl decals for my menu board?
Oh it looks so cool…
It is a must do project ♥
Must figure out where to do this! Thinking I might use the end of a kitchen cabinet but paint a separate piece and attach it in case someone else who lives here one day isn't a menu-planner!
Great idea! I don't know how many times I answer the question, "Mom, what's for dinner"! Can you also give us a tutorial on how to write as beautifully as you do? Please?
I totally love this DIY 🙂 When I was a kid, I used to have a chalk board door in my bedroom ^^ xx
Now thats a unique way to design a cabinet. And you can make your own menu's too!
Wow, that was so easy & it looks great!
Excellent job over again. I am looking forward for more updates=)
Love this idea! I always have a problem with the back and sides of a wardrobe/bookcase/cabinet when it's not pressed up against a wall. What a fun way to dress it up and make it functional!
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=myreviewsiteu-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=kindlerotating&f=ifr
Love this idea!
very nice sharing
I LOVE THIS!!! This will be my next project! FYI – I know it sounds silly, but if you want to clean your chalkboard to "like new" surface, use Coke (or Diet Coke)! I am not kidding, put it on a washcloth and wipe! When it dries it won't be sticky or anything BUT CLEAN! This is my favorite cleaning secret… just had to share 🙂
Oh what a cool trick! I will have to try that out…
kisses
heather
Thanks for that tip! I have an entire wall of legal graffiti, a.k.a. chalkboard wall, in my bathroom. I’d love to get it back to new looking. If you want to see my bathroom you can find it here: http://www.stylebaggage.com/?p=38
Thanks for sharing this trick. Certainly, I’ll try it 🙂
followed a link from pinterest.com over here – LOVE this!!
Love this idea! How big are your circles?
I just found this through Pinterest — v. nice!! Also wondering about the markers — what are they called, and where can I get them? Regular chalk on a chalkboard gives me the chills, but I love these chalkboard ideas.
Thanks! The markers are called Chalk Ink Wet Wipe Markers. I found them at Michaels, but I had to ask for them at the checkout counter. They keep them locked up for some reason. I LOVE them!!
kisses
heather
What an awesome and creative idea!
love this out of the box idea, but love the cabinet even more. Can you tell me where you picked it up?
This may be a silly question, but since I do not have a Cricut and will have to borrow my sister’s, I would like to know how you got the letter cutouts on the circles?
Thank you so much for your insight and inspiration!! I tried it on a door in my kitchen and absolutely LOVE how it turned out…if you want to take a look:
http://amisassignments.blogspot.com/2012/01/week-2-assignment-results.html
Thanks again!!
Hey heather, what font did you use on your silhouette updated version? I am on coat one of my FAB new Chalkboard calendar and want to cut my vinyl…p.s. NO where in this tutorial do you explain how hard it is to WAIT to write on it!!! LOL 🙂
soooooo true!! A clean chalkboard just begs to be written on! The words that I used for the updated version are actually in the silhouette store. Just search for days of the week and you'll run across them. Let me know how it turns out!! kisses heather
THANKS! headed there NOW! I have to wait till WEDNESDAY to write on it! KILLING ME!!! 🙂
Ladies, I do not own a silhouette :(. Could either of you cut the vinyl for me for a price? I looked on etsy but could not find any to order. I already have the board made but it is blank with no days yet! Please help.
Hi! LOVE your menu chalkboard and am trying to recreate it. Any chance you can tell me how many inches your “menu” letters are (the older version in doodletype) as well as how many inches your circles are around the weekday letters? THANKS!
As a food blogger, this may be the BEST thing I’ve seen on Pinterest! LOVE this idea – especially the teacher side of me! Yay chalk!
HI Heather,
I loved this chalkboard idea on Pinterest and got all the supplies that I could find. The space I have is significantly smaller than yours and my Michael’s only had spray paint chalk board paint. The lady at the store said it would work fine. Now my only problem is the vinyl lettering. I love the look of it, but don’t have a silhouette or a cricut. What would you recommend. Thanks for posting such a great DIY!
Heather
Miami, FL.
I absolutely LOVE your chalkboard menu! I featured you today on my blog as the inspiration behind my new kitchen chalkboard wall. I would love for you to stop by sometime!
http://jroxdesigns.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/bringing-chalkboards-out-of-the-classroom-and-into-the-home-inspiration-wednesday/
– Amber @ jRoxDesigns
I LOVE this idea! And if you ever didn't want to use it, all you have to do is wipe it clean and no one could tell the difference.
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It is truly a great and useful piece of info.
I am glad that you shared this helpful info with us.
Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on this blog loading?
I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s
the blog. Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.
Well done! I love this idea, thanks for sharing!