{Things to Remember}: Chalkboard Clipboard Teacher’s Appreciation Gift

For Parker and Mason’s teachers, I wanted to give them something handmade that they could use all year. The writing is done with a white marker, so it resembles the look of chalk but stays put when the chalkboard is wiped off.

 

The supplies I used were a clipboard, painter’s tape, flat black spray paint, Recollections broad tip opaque marker in Snow White from Micheal’s, #320 fine grit sandpaper, and a piece of chalk.

I taped off the metal clip at the top of the board with painter’s tape and spray painted the front and back with two coats of flat black spray paint. I have found that Krylon’s Dual works just as good as chalkboard spray paint. Using flat black spray paint instead of chalkboard paint was a tip that I picked up from Jami of An Oregon Cottage.

I used the fonts Some Weatz and Bergamot ornaments to make the image that I wanted to trace and printed it out as an 8×10′” photo. If you would like to use the image below, just right-click and then choose “Save image as”.

I clipped the image to the clipboard to hold it in place, put a piece of transfer paper behind it, and then traced it on the clipboard. The lines below the writing were made by tracing over every other line on a piece of notebook paper.

Once it was traced, I filled in the outlines with the white marker. I used a ruler to make sure the lines were straight.

I let the writing dry for 30 minutes and then lightly sanded over it to give it the look of real chalk writing. “Prime” the chalkboard by rubbing it with the side of a piece of chalk and then wipe it off. This will prepare the surface so the chalk writing will not leave a “ghosting” effect.

To finish it off, I added my own text to one of the free printable gift tags from The Scrap Shoppe Blog. (Sorry, they are no longer free but she has moved them to her Etsy shop!)

I know that Parker and Mason’s teachers’ gifts may not be as useful as a gift card, but they were made from the heart.

And I hope that every time they see it, they are reminded that they are special in the eyes of a child.

 

If you love chalkboard crafts, then you should also check out how to make a magnetic chalkboard and Instagram gallery.