Ask any teacher about chalkboards and you'll find they are outdated tools in modern day classrooms. But home design is a different lesson altogether.
Creative chalkboard paint ideas have been popping up far and wide in everything from the Learning Channel's Trading Spaces (used on top of a child's play table) to this month's Ready Made Magazine, in which a speech bubble was painted on the wall above the bed.
With colored chalk in hand, you, too, can enjoy functional art that can be altered at any moment to fit your mood. These chalkboard TV trays make great interactive conversation pieces when used at adult or kid parties. Speaking of teaching tools -- if you find another idea for chalkboard paint, feel free to share it with others on the Crafty Ideas message board at
home.azcentral.com.

Chalkboard TV Trays
SUPPLIES:
Folding TV trays with wood tops.
1 can spray primer.
1 can of green or black chalkboard spray paint.
Jute trim.
Hot glue.
Chalk.
DIRECTIONS: Work in a well-ventilated area. Lightly sand the top of the tray, then spray on a layer of primer and let dry. Spray on two to three layers of the chalkboard paint, letting each coat dry in between. Use hot glue to attach jute around the edge of the tray.
VARIATIONS: Other types of trim can be used in place of jute. Use the same method on 18- by 12-inch pieces of thin hardboard to make place mats. To make moveable speech bubbles for above your bed, cut out the hardboard into shapes using a jigsaw. Hang with picture-hanging attachments.

* For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: back to school, inside, kids