CHALKBOARD OBSESSION: TARGET FURNITURE DIY PAINT UPCYCLE

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I love chalkboard paint.  I must have seen that pin on pinterest about how to make your own like a thousand times. 

Thing is, I never was going to really make my own. 

Then I saw all these cute little bottles of Martha Stewart Chalkboard paint lined up at Micheal's.  For only 5.99 (minus my trusy 40% off coupon), it was too good to pass up.  My love took on a level.  I am totally obsessed.  It took a lot of restraint to not buy every single color they had.  I kind of want to paint my patio with it even though it is already a good surface for chalk. I did paint the panels on the train table blue with pretty good results.

 

 I also feel like we have been drowning in toys lately.  I can no longer keep the majority of them in Avi's room.  The kids just don't play there much and their kitchen and doll house are in the living room now anyway.  So, when I saw this Target circo shelving on sale (similar to the Ikea Expedit), a lightbulb went on in my head.  Buy shelves, organize toys and get to paint one more thing with chalkboard paint.

Thing is, the shelves are laminate.  Internet tells me that to paint laminate requires sanding and priming etc.  Not gonna happen.  But, the shelves have these lovely (not so lovely) chipboard backing pieces that get nailed in to place on the back.  Perfect!

I used the unfinished side, wiped it down with windex, primed it with some gesso (I'm a crafter, it's all I had), and then painted on two coats of chalkboard paint.  I did this all in one night, including putting together the shelves.  I just had to wait 24 hours for them to fully dry.  Curing them with chalk afterwards was so much fun. 

 
 

After nailing them in place I added labels for the shelves.  I love how it looks, plus it reminds me of the room makeover in the Berenstein's Bears book Messy Room.  I have always wanted that room.  Maybe I should get a peg board too? 

The best part? Nandini and Avinash have actually be en using toys they hadn't looked at it months.  Can't tell you how much time she spends making calls on that little phone. 

Hmmm, is the Christmas tree still up back there?  Somebody should really take that down soon...

ETA: Target now sells chalkboard paint too.  Because why go anywhere else when you get everything you never knew you always wanted in one handy store?  And, they sell it in a lot of lovely colors.  I think these shelves would look awesome painted with teal blue chalkboard paint too, don't you?