Make Your Own Light Up Chalkboard Art!
This really can be used for any occasion since it is a chalkboard canvas. It was easy to do and the drying time is what took the longest. I created it for Valentine’s Day because it is our 19th Anniversary and thought it would be special.
I plan to change out the verse for each holiday. I was going to use red for the wording but it was a little hard to see on the black chalkboard, so I used pink instead. It really doesn’t have to be any special color, as white would be just fine too.
I started out by getting all the supplies. Hobby Lobby actually had a canvas 2 pack for only $7.99. I also got the battery operated lights their for $3.99 and the can of spray chalkboard paint at Home Depot for $4.00. I used Liquid Chalk by Crofty Croc markers (they do absorb into the canvas, because it is porous, but I’m not a big fan of regular chalk) which I received last year, but you can use regular chalk if you would like. Total cost = under $20!
Supplies:
- Canvas (whatever size you would like)
- Spray Chalkboard Paint or Can of Chalkboard Paint ( I thought the spray would be easier)
- Chalk or Chalk Markers
- Battery Operated Lights ( I had a pack of 20)
The first thing we did (I should say my husband did), was spray paint the canvas. I didn’t think we were going to get this done before Valentine’s Day because our weather had been kind of chilly and it had to be 70° or above. The first coat dried really quickly, within an hour, so he put a second coat on. Even though it felt dry, we did let it dry over night before working on it.
Once it was dry, I seasoned it. You do that by laying a piece of chalk (actual chalk) on it’s side and rubbing it across the entire canvas.
You can either use an eraser to wipe it off or a damp cloth. I used a damp cloth so it didn’t get all over.
Next, it was time to make the holes for the lights. I marked the spots with a piece of chalk to make sure I had them spaced right and didn’t have more holes than I needed, which was 20.
Then I used a small phillips screwdriver to make the holes. Make sure the screwdriver is smaller than the lights so the holes aren’t too big and the lights will fall out. I put newspaper underneath it so the screwdriver had a soft landing.
Then I wrote my saying, which I was writing for Valentine’s Day and our Anniversary.
Loved you yesterday
Love you still
Always have
Always will
If you aren’t happy with the way the writing came out, remember….it’s chalkboard. You can erase it and start over. It came from my heart so it’s the thought that matters!
Now, it’s time to put the lights in. There is enough room on the back of the canvas to let the battery pack sit on the ledge.
That’s it…you are done!
You can either hang it on the wall or lean it up against the wall. I chose to put it on our mantle above the fireplace.
Check out the video below for a detailed DIY tutorial. Post a picture on my Facebook page if you decide to make one.
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