Chalkboard Paint: Wooden Boxes

CREATE Stylish & Functional Storage

My fabulous partner in life brought home these beauties from the grocery store (appreciating my love for aged wood, wooden boxes, & remembering that I recently mentioned something about wanting to create with wooden wine boxes)!
The store was selling them for $1.50 & $2!!!

First, sand the side you will paint on to create a more smooth finish. I did not do this & really wish I did.

Tape off the edges.

Roll on the chalkboard paint.

Let them sit out in the sun to dry.

Peel off the tape when completely dry.

Voila! Beautiful! These are just the larger ones.

When you read the directions on the paint can it will give you instructions for "conditioning" the surface.
It takes 3 days before you can really use the chalkboard surface.

So far I have used them for: 

~ organizing our linens in the linen closet

~ storing/carrying towels for the pool

~ storing library books
~ kids "projects"
~ mail
~ storing/organizing plates, napkins, & silverware to put out for parties

Pallet~Boat~Stage~Creative Work Space

So, I've been eyeing this pallet we have at our house.

{Don't you just love the look of aged wood?!}

I started envisioning painting it & turning into a piece that my kids & their friends could use in a number of different ways (i.e. a boat, a stage, a place to sit & draw...). So I grabbed some cans of paint that we had left over from some house painting we'd done, & I got to work.

Left over paint.  {FYI - The Freshaire paint was a no-voc paint that Home Depot had carried but the company no longer makes it :( }

Some waves to float upon

Here is my attempt at adding some depth/texture 

I cut a circle from some styrofoam packaging. Here I am measuring it to be sure it is the size that I want it to be.  I plan to use it to make a stamp to create portholes for this make believe ship.

The porthole stamp is done. I added some tape to the back for easier application.

Here I applied some left over, outdoor, porch paint.

Due to the texture of the wood the stamp didn't go on evenly.  I added a little paint by hand (but actually I kind of liked the rough look & didn't get too caught up in making it perfect.)

The boat/stage/creative work space is complete!

We just happened to have an old boat steering wheel that had been given to us at one point.  We didn't attach it b/c the kids like to use it inside the house as well.