Double Sided Chalkboard Countdown Display {DIY}

My latest project was inspired by a cute Halloween countdown I saw at Marshalls yesterday. It was so simple, just chalkboard {or black?} paint with a cute border + the wording "Nights Until Halloween" thankfully I have a pretty substantial scrap wood pile. I grabbed from what I had...sanding down the rough edges and painting with chalkboard paint that I've had for YEARS. (Does paint go bad?)

Once I painted the base and the plywood board with two coats, I let it dry overnight. I screwed the top board onto the base with two screws, I also added some wood glue for good measure. 

Before adding my text, I rubbed the entire surface with a piece of white chalk...then I typed my design on my computer and printed it. I taped down the top edge in case I needed to line up the paper with the blackboard...using a ball point pen, I traced the printout carefully. Then used a chalk "bistro" marker on top. 

Initially, I did not intend on this being a double sided project (although I had already painted both sides of the board, so I COULD.) I realized that my son has a birthday just a few days before Halloween, so I should also include a birthday countdown....so I completed the process a second time, just printing out the text on the computer, tracing over with a ball point pen, followed by the bistro marker. 

It was that easy! Now I just need to remember to actually count down each day. 

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Teacher Thank You Gifts

My son has been receiving early intervention speech therapy for most of the last year. Two different practitioners, and a case manager come into our home to work with the "wordless wonder." {Who now has quite a few words, I must say!} They are fantastic. The early intervention program where I live ends at 3 years, and in a few weeks my son will start going to the local school for speech. {He really IS growing up!}

I had to do something special for them...but I didn't want something TOO "teacher-ish. I ended up coming across this adorable idea:

{via Pinterest, via TipJunkie, via Giggles Galore}

I decided to make my own version. I simply picked up 3 clay pots & some yellow paint at Walmart. I had chalkboard paint already.

I tried a few different things for the numbering-including using my Silhouette with black vinyl. Honestly, that just wasn't my favorite and actually peeled off some of the yellow paint {gah!} I ended up printing off a version of the numbers onto white computer paper, covering the paper with wax paper, then I used black puff paint (you know the kind from 1985!) to trace over the computer paper. I let the puff paint dry and peeled it off, and stuck it on the pot (I did use a pencil to trace the distance of the dashes...so each one is slightly different. I added a layer of Mod Podge over the top "ruler" portion to make sure none of the numbers/dashes would peel off.

I love the way it turned out.

I "primed" the chalkboard paint (simply by coloring over the entire chalk section of the pot with some chalk and then wiping it all off!) Then wrote the message "thanks for helping me grow."

I also made personalized cards: I used some fabric that I had on hand and printed off "Thank You" on a handwriting creator (I found it on google, I don't know which I used) and then I finished it off with some blue rickrack. Easy & simple....and cute, if I say so myself!

What are other ways YOU celebrate the teachers in your life?

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