chalkboard platters

I think it's something in this mountain air...but I've been feelin way crafty lately. Usually, I have all of these ideas, but I can never make them come to fruition (look at that big girl vocab I'm using!) 

I was on Pinterest the other night browsing for some decoration/DIY/crafty things that I could pretend that I would do, but in the end not really do. I found a picture of some old platters that had been turned into chalkboard and got inspired! There's a large wall on one side of my apartment that has been begging for some love. So, after my usual 3 or 4 hour of job searching, I took a break and headed to Deseret Industries Thrift Store to see what I could find. And find I did! 

In case you want to do this yourself, you'll need: 

metal platters from a thrift store - $3 for 3 plates

chalkboard spray paint - $6 at Michael's (they also make normal paint, but I found the spray paint to be easier)

blue painters tape (I didn't use this, but if you want to be real careful and preserve the edges of your platter, then this might be useful) 

ribbon in whatever color matches the room - $2.00 on sale at Michael's 

newspaper

Liquid Nails glue - $4 from Michael's 

nails for hanging - $2.99 for a pack of picture hangers at Target)

soup can (or a hammer...but if you're like me, you can use a soup can...)

3 Bucks for all three of these!!!

Take the platters outside and place them on some newspaper if you don't want to get the ground dirty. If you want, you can put some painters tape around the edges if you want to preserve them but I was too lazy and at this point I just wanted to get them done. I was careful and if I did get the paint on the edges, I took a damp cloth and wiped it. Worked like a dream. A lazy girls dream...

In a sweeping motion, apply a thin coat over the entire platter. If you're trying to keep the sides clean, just be careful and spray it in smaller portions to better control where the paint goes. 

Once they're painted with one coat, let them dry for 30 minutes or so...whenever they're not shiny anymore. Paint a second layer on. This is really important because if you don't paint 2 layers on, the chalkboard effect won't work. So don't skip this! 

Let them dry for a couple of hours until they're semi-dry. You can then add the ribbon. The glue needs to cure on the ribbon over night so if you do this while the paint is almost dry, you don't have to wait twice to let the plate dry and then the glue dry. 

This is what it looks like when they're dry! Take the ribbon and cut it to the length desired. I cut mine to about 12 inches. Enough to hang them easily on a nail. 

Put glue on BOTH the back of the plate and the ribbon. Press and hold in place for like 30 seconds. 

Do the same thing on the other side making sure that the ribbon is going to hang without being twisted like it is above and below. 

Let the plates dry over night. 

The next day, place the nails where you want them to hang. Keep in mind that the plates will hang lower than where the nail is because of the ribbon (This might be obvious, but I made a mistake hanging the first one because I didn't realize it! ha) 

Hang, draw, and ENJOY! 

(the last two images were taken from my iPhone which is why the resolution is fuzzy. :( sorry!) 

I love these! I've got my shopping list on the biggest one and they're just fun to doodle on! :) If you do this one, let me know! I'd love to see how someone else does it!