I am a big fan of all of those chalkboard signs out there. It’s such a fun trend. I certainly enjoy them for everyday use, but even more so, I love their use at a party. They add such character as part of a decoration or on a buffet. For this DIY project, I found a simple way to hang a chalkboard sign… and make it interchangeable for any holiday or party!
With all of the Font styles, and different chalk colors and mediums, drawing in chalk has become such a work of art…. from a simple sign in white chalk to a masterpiece. Seriously.. did you see my post on Chalktoberfest!?!? While, it is certainly the beauty of chalkboards that you can wipe the slate clean and start over…. for some of us, a lot of time and energy go into these works of art, and “wiping the slate clean” is not an attractive option. Fear no more.. I have a solution for you!!
For those of you that have read my posts, you may know that I am a Thrift Shop Junkie, so it’s no surprise that this DIY project came to life with a thrift store find! I set out to find some kind of frame that I could use to make a piece of chalkboard art for Thanksgiving.
Originally, I was looking for an oversize frame so I could hang it on the wall above my food buffet. If I found one, I was planning to either paint the glass with chalkboard paint, or simply replace the glass with an actual chalkboard (I was going to figure that out once I had the frame). But silly me – I basically broke one of my own rules of thrift shopping… Don’t go expecting to find that one thing you need!! Thrift shopping is about finding surprises and making them work for you!!
There are ALWAYS large frames at the store I was in…. but not on that day… and being only a couple days before Thanksgiving, I had to quickly improvise. I found a few ornate frames that weren’t as large as I had wanted, but they were a good size… and even better – they happened to be the color of the day (hint – that means 50% off at Goodwill!!)! I picked up both… You know I’ll end up doing something with both of them eventually!!
I decided for my Thanksgiving chalk art, I was going to use a Chicken Wire Frame. You see them a lot used as Christmas Card holders or jewelry displays, but I thought a chalkboard sign would look really cool hanging on the chicken wire. I loved the way it turned out! Looking back, my thrift store experience turned out perfectly… and I’m so glad I had to come up with a new plan!
Now, with this Chicken Wire Frame, I can make a new chalkboard sign for any party or any holiday. I don’t have to erase all of the beautiful chalk art I have worked on… instead, I’ll just tuck it away for next year! With the Thanksgiving and Christmas signs complete, I am working on one for a brunch I am hosting in January, and am excited to find more excuses to use this frame! I’m on the lookout for a few more frames, so I can have a few different color options! Someone stop me!! 🙂
What You’ll Need:
- Frame
- Chicken Wire
- Wire Cutters
- Staples & Staple Gun
- Paint
- Black Poster Board
- Scissors
- Chalk
- Chalk Pens (as desired)
- Clothespins
1. Pick out a frame in any size that fits for your project. The frame I used in the photo has a 22 1/2″ x 29″ opening, but I am looking forward to doing a few smaller versions of this project as well!
2. Remove any glass, artwork, or backing from the frame
3. Clean the frame, and paint. I was in a rush when I made the frame in the picture, so I used White Chalk Spray Paint. It actually turned out great, and saved me a ton of time… but if you’re more comfortable with a brush, use any paint you like.
4. Once the frame is dry, roll the chicken wire across the back of the frame.
5. Using Wire Cutters, clip the chicken wire to size. It should measure just smaller than the actual frame.
6. Using your staple gun, staple the chicken wire to the frame. Note – make sure your staples are not longer than the depth of the frame!! You don’t want them coming through the other side!! Also note – the chicken wire should be completely taught, so take your time, and use as many staples as you need to ensure the chicken wire is secure!
Now your Chicken Wire Frame is complete, let’s work on those chalkboard signs!
Let me start this section by saying… if you are not comfortable drawing the chalkboard sign yourself, there are plenty of other options…there are free printables available, and even store bought signs can be affixed to the chicken wire. But if you want the challenge…..
7. Cut the black poster board to size. The poster board should be the same dimension ratio as the opening of your frame (smaller by the same amount all the way around). You need to allow space between the frame and the poster board, obviously so you can see that cool chicken wire, but also so the clothespins have room to secure the board to the chicken wire.
8. Plan your design…. this step depends a bit on both your comfort and skill level… as well as the content of the sign. If you have pretty good penmanship, you can probably get by with free forming something simple like “Happy Birthday!” or “Let’s Party!” If you are comfortable with calligraphy, then go crazy! I am somewhere in between, so I like to try out different fonts on my computer and then mimic them by hand on the poster board. For the Christmas sign, my OCD kicked in and I did a lot more measuring of all of the font sizes and board placement to ensure I got the perfect spacing for my “Word Christmas Tree”.
9. I like to use a chalk marker to write my message… I just think it stands out more, but if basic chalk is your preferred medium.. go for it!
10. Lastly, once the ink has completely dried, I use the side of a piece of chalk and I rub it all over the poster board, then gently wipe it away with a cloth. This gives the effect that the black poster board is actually a chalkboard! 🙂
11. I use clothespins to attach the poster to the chicken wire. The size of the clothespins will depend on the size of your art… but a word of warning.. I always end up needing a size bigger than I originally assume.
I’ll update this post with more pictures as I create more artwork. Hope you enjoyed this project!!
If you also like the Cookie Stands in the picture, here is the tutorial.
Leave a Reply