DIY Framed Chalkboard With Clay Ornaments

Looking for something cute to put on a shelf or to display on your console table? This framed chalkboard will surely put a smile on your and anyone else’s face. Crafting it is quite easy and only requires a few materials that shouldn’t be too difficult to get. You might even have some supplies from previous DIY projects.

Materials needed to make a framed chalkboard:

wood frame
chalkboard paint
green and gold acrylic paint
air dry clay
paintbrush
scissors
twine string
chalk
tiny bucket
silicone mold

How to craft a framed chalkboard:

Step 1: Make sure you have everything you need

First things first, take a look at your supplies and make sure nothing is missing. The chalkboard paint shouldn’t be difficult to get and the acrylic paint is easily accessible. The only tricky things might be the air dry clay and the silicone mould but you should be able to get these at an arts and crafts supply store or even at a general shop.

Step 2: Remove the backing from the frame

Set all the other materials aside and focus on the wooden frame. First you’ll need to remove the backing. Flip the frame over and you should be able to remove it without any issues. Be gentle so you don’t damage the frame in any way and don’t force it because you’ll later have to put the backing back on the frame.

Step 3: Paint the backing

The next step is to paint the backing and for that you’ll have to use the paintbrush and the chalkboard paint. You only need to paint the side that you’ll be seeing from the front once the backing is installed back on so leave the back side as it is. You’ll probably need to apply two or three coats of paint to get good coverage.

Step 4: Paint the rest of the frame

Next, clean you paintbrush and use it to paint the rest of the frame. For this step you’ll be using the acrylic paint that you’ve prepared earlier. It can be in any color so get creative. If you already have some leftover paint from other projects you might as well use that. Be sure to paint the front and the edges of the frame. Apply two coats if necessary.

Step 5: Shape some clay into three corner mouldings

It’s now time to focus on the ornaments. Take out the air dry clay and use the silicone mould to make three small corner ornaments. The ones we’ve chosen look similar to the traditional ceiling mouldings found in old houses. You can choose a different shape or change the theme altogether so use this as a suggestion more than anything else.

Step 6: Paint the clay ornaments

After you’ve trimmed the clay ornaments and they’re dry and ready to go, go ahead and paint them. You can use the same acrylic paint that you’ve used for the frame. There’s no need to paint the back side since they’ll be glued onto the frame.

Step 7: Wrap some twine around one side of the frame

Make sure the paint is dry before you do this. Take some twine and wrap it a few times around one side of the frame. Then tie a knot on the back of the frame and cut off the excess string.

Step 8: Put the backing back on

Next, take the chalkboard backing and put it back on the frame. The painted side should be visible from the front. You might have to squeeze it a bit because of the twine that you’ve wrapped around the frame.

Step 9: Add a bit of gold to the ornaments

At this point the acrylic paint on the little clay ornaments should be dry. You can proceed to add a few little gold details. This part is optional so if you prefer a simpler design you can skip it. You can also choose to use a different paint color if you want to.

Step 10: Glue the clay ornaments onto the frame

Use your hot glue gun to attach the little clay ornaments onto the frame. You can put them in the corners or group them up. Either way, make sure the design is balanced.

Step 11: The last thing you need to do is hang the tiny bucket. Take another piece of string and use it to tie it around the handle and around the twine that you’ve already wrapped around the frame. Make a couple of knots and cut off the excess. This tiny bucket will hold a few chalk bits.