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DIY Chalkboard Clipboards

I love hanging art in our home, but sometimes, if I’m being totally honest with you guys, I am too lazy to go find a frame, put nails in the wall, find a spot, etc. First world problems, right? So I’m always interested in ways to have art that is easily changeable, and when I saw a cute little display of clipboards with chalkboard paint on them at our local West Elm, I knew that I wanted to make a set of my own.

No problem, I thought to myself– I’ll just grab some clipboards, some spray paint, spray them and hang them and look fabulous. Easier said than done of course. Shouldn’t I know this by now? The trouble started in locating my supplies. After going to three dollar stores and two Targets, I was finally able to find clipboards. Apparently they are not a popular item if it’s not back to school season. I bought the entire stock of clipboards our Target had…all five of them. 🙂

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I then had to go to two craft stores to find chalkboard spray paint. What is happening? I guess chalkboard spray paint is popular with the masses now. 🙂 I need to stock up just in case next time. But I bought the one lonely bottle they had, thinking to myself for some unknown reason- that bottle looks suspect to me.

Because it was.

After finally having a day where it wasn’t raining, I was able to spend ONE HOUR taking the plastic off the clipboards and taping the silver clip part off to spray. I was thinking the whole time, this was supposed to be EASY. 

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But whatever, I was FINALLY ready to spray paint. So I started to spray…and chalkboard paint was dripping and shooting out in streams and puddles…I’ve spray painted dozens (if not hundreds!) of things and this has never happened.

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I considered calling it quits and waiting til I could by new spray paint, but I just wanted to be done. I wanted my end result and I wanted it now, you know? So I kept spraying, even as clumps of chalkboard paint were shooting back into my hands (this was a week ago and my fingernails are STILL black on the edges, gross). I am just hardcore like that. Whatevs.

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Finally, after drying for 24 hours, I assessed the damage. I was hoping that somehow the paint was self-leveling and the clumps and drips would be gone. Guess what?! They weren’t. BOOOO. So I got some sandpaper and sanded it all down to where it was a flat even surface. It left some scratches, but I kind of like them….rustic-chic or something right? 🙂

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So that was the worst of it. After sanding I wiped them clean, and used a piece of chalk on its side to activate the surface. Then I cleaned it and start doodling on the bottom.

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I collected some random images/things I had been collecting to display and started picking my favorites. Meanwhile Scott was hanging my boards for me. Yay teamwork! 🙂

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So here they are! We hung them on a lonely looking wall in our living room. Isn’t it cute?

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This is one of my favorite pieces of art…it’s called The Storm by Pierre Auguste Cot. When I lived in NYC for a summer I used to spend a lot of time at the Met looking at this one. Hopefully I’ll see it again soon!

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Does this pattern look familiar? It’s the Emporioum Pies menu. I used another copy to make an iPhone case too.

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Tickets from our first Opera- we went a few weeks ago! <3 Loved it!

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Some current paint chip samples that I’m really digging. 🙂

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And some brilliant original watercolor painted by…yours truly. 😛 So profesh right?

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I love how they look on the wall…especially with my new favorite chair! 🙂

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I’m so excited to continue to trade them out. Maybe add more? If I can ever track down any more clipboards…hehe.

Hope you all have an amazing Easter weekend…I have enjoyed being even more mindful than usual of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Take a moment to practice some gratitude this weekend…it’s good for the soul! We all have a lot to be thankful for.

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Tania Griffis is an accomplished writer, blogger, and interior designer with a Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma. She started her popular blog, Run to Radiance, in 2011, demonstrating her design expertise through the personal remodeling of six houses to millions of readers across the globe.

Tania also owns The Creative Wheelhouse, a respected ghostwriting agency for bloggers, further showcasing her talent for creating engaging and informative content.

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15 Comments

  1. They turned out great!

    Do you think it was just a bad can of the chalboard paint? I always see them in stores and think about getting one and finding a little project to do.

    1. Samantha- for sure! I have used chalkboard paint before and it’s worked great…something was just wrong with this one 🙁

  2. They look great! Especially after all that trouble. I’ve had a can of spray paint act up like that on me, too. I wonder what causes it.

  3. I absolutely LOVE this idea!! I’m so glad you were more determined than that faulty can of paint because they turned out great. I love how you’ve displayed them. I had a chalkboard wall in our old home and I’m really missing it. I think this might be the perfect remedy! I’ve only ever used chalkboard paint that you roll on so hopefully I’ll have a little more luck with the spray kind. Although, I’m really into more of a rustic look anyway 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!

    1. Thanks Brooke! The last time I used chalkboard spray paint it turned out awesome…I think this one was just broke, boo. We used to have a giant chalkboard wall in our dining room, but the wall texture made it too hard to write smoothly, and i was tired of chalk getting all over our floor. 🙂

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