Nursery Idea: Chalk It Up!

Chalk boards are great items for functionality and decoration. Kids can doodle all day with easy clean and no wasting of paper. Parents can find many uses for them too: label things, do a mural, write down reminders, teach kids to write their own name... the list goes on. While it may seem during pregnancy and the first few months that it will be an eternity until your baby starts crawling, walking, let alone drawing- let me assure you that it will go by very fast. Before you know it, that nursery of yours will need to also serve as a playroom. Check out these cute options for putting some chalkboard space in.

Found on Delight
Peel and Stick Chalkboard Tree. 30" Chalkboard tree decal and 13 birds you can move around.


From Target. They have all kinds of cute chalkboard bins and buckets in several colors.

From Genius Jones. A chalkboard table, complete with center storage for chalk.


And of course there is the more permanent option of painting a wall or furniture with chalkboard paint. The thing to know here is that you aren't limited in colors. It doesn't have to be black or green! It can go with whatever colors you are already using. Martha Stewart's recipe for colored chalkboard paint.



Custom Colors How-To
Start with flat-finish latex paint in any shade. For small areas, such as a door panel, mix 1 cup at a time.

1. Pour 1 cup of paint into a container. Add 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout. Mix with a paint stirrer, carefully breaking up clumps.

2. Apply paint with a roller or a sponge paintbrush to a primed or painted surface. Work in small sections, going over the same spot several times to ensure full, even coverage. Let dry.

3. Smooth area with 150-grit sandpaper, and wipe off dust.

4. To condition: Rub the side of a piece of chalk over entire surface. Wipe away residue with a barely damp sponge.