DIY Ceramic Chalkboard

By craft contributor Rachael

The new year is always a time of organization and making lists for all of the plans and adventures you have waiting for you in the following months.

This little ceramic chalkboard would make a cute gift for a friend who loves taking notes when they think of great ideas. Or you could hang it in the kitchen for your family to write messages to each other.

You don’t need a kiln or any fancy pottery equipment for this project, just some air drying clay and other bits and pieces from around the house.

Let’s get started with materials…

ceramicchalkboard
Materials:

  1. Air drying clay
  2. Chalkboard paint
  3. Letter stamps (& optional paint for coloring the words in)
  4. Wire
  5. Painter’s tape
  6. Cutting blade or knife
  7. Rolling pin
  8. Sanding block
  9. Cutting mat

Step 1: Roll your clay out onto your cutting mat. I used a handful of clay to make a board 20cm x 15xm.

Make sure you’ve rolled it out evenly and to at least 3-5mm thickness to ensure it is strong enough for hanging.

Step 2: Cut out your shape for the board.

You could freehand like I did or make a rectangle, square or any other shape template you desire (clouds would look cute!).

Step 3: Stamp your words onto the top of the board.

Step 4: Take your implement for making a hole and measure down each side to ensure your holes with be the same height.

Poke a hole in the clay on each side and wipe away the excess.

Place your finished piece somewhere safe to dry for 24-48 hours.

Step 5: After your clay has dried (you will know as it changes color to a nice bright white), sand the edges gently to make them smooth.

Prepare your board for painting by placing the painter’s tape around the edges, leaving a square (or whatever shape you like) in the middle.

Step 6: After your paint has dried, carefully peel away your tape and add your wire to the holes, twisting the wire back on itself to form a nice neat finish.

I painted my letters in with acrylic black paint to make them stand out too.

Now all that’s left to do is find a place to hang your little board and start getting organized!

Comments

Pottery is ‘Hornsea’ (named after the town in England where it used to be made). Lovely! 🙂

Hey Nikki – Liz was right – I have a fabulous vintage shop around the corner from my house and these were from there! They are gorgeous aren’t they (we’re lucky to have them!).

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