Make your Own Chalkboard Paint!

It was a revelation when I saw Bonnie's DIY Chalkboard Paint Planters on Design*Sponge. I've since become a reader of Bonnie's blog, Going Home to Roost (which is great, by the way). Anyway, in her post about the planters, she informed that you can make your own chalkboard paint in any colour you want! Isn't that amazing?!?!

All you do is mix regular flat latex paint with a couple of tablespoons of unsanded tile grout.

Well, yesterday I had the opportunity to try for myself. I'm in the process of organizing my craft room, which sort of became an unorganized dumping ground for everything that didn't have a home. I needed some storage containers, though, so I bought a case of canning jars. I wanted to label them so that nothing would get put in them that didn't belong there, so I tested the DIY chalkboard paint.

I was pondering whether the paint would adhere to a nonporous surface like glass, but I decided to give it a go anyway. I think it would peel off and chip if you treated them carelessly, but as long as I'm gentle, it'll be fine.

I just used painter's tape to tape irregular shapes on the fronts of the jars, and gave them a couple coats of the paint. One word of warning: be sure to do this is a VERY well-ventilated area. I should have done it outside, actually. When you combine the unsanded tile grout with any other substance (as it says right on the label), "dangerous fumes result." And it's very stinky. So be careful.

But anyway, I am having ALL kinds of ideas for what else I can chalkboard-ify! Like I said, a revelation!!!