French Chalk Board (also known as "My Masterpiece")

Remember what I used to prop up my earring picture frame?  Remember how ugly it was?  I would show you a picture of it, but my computer has been acting up and it ate several of my pictures.  I'm sure they'll turn up somewhere, but until then, just take my word for it.  It was bad.

I bought the giant picture frame (and I do mean giant; it's over three feet tall and over 1.5 feet wide!) at an auction our church youth were having to raise money for their mission trips.  It was part of a silent auction and nobody bid on it.  After the auction was over and we were about to leave, I saw it again.  I knew I could make it into something.  The frame, after all, was really gorgeous.  I had two single dollar bills in my purse and asked if I could buy it.  Two friends and my mom also donated a couple bills for the occasion, so between the four of us, we all ended up paying $8 total for it. 

I took it home and taped off the sides.  I painted the top part of the frame with Gesso (again, I had pictures of this) and once the Gesso (primer) had dried, I painted it over with black acrylic.  I covered the whole frame with newspaper except what I wanted to be covered in chalkboard paint.  I used chalkboard spray paint to cover it.  I put on two coats, and it made a really pretty chalkboard.  Word of advice, let the paint really sink in for 24 hours before you try to write on it or you could end up scratching the paint off.

So now I have essentially a blank canvas ready to be painted.  I chose this French Ad from Graphics Fairy to paint on the top part of my frame.  Now here come the pictures!

I printed off the graphic and spent forever tracing it onto a transparency sheet with a sharpie, only for it to be too big for my space once I put it on the over head projector.  I went back and printed the graphic out the size of a 4x6 picture.  Then I made a photo copy of the graphic on a transparency sheet.  If you have a laser printer, you can print it directly onto the transparency.  If you have an ink jet like me, the ink will smear if you try to do that.

Using the over-head projector from my classroom that I borrowed, I projected my graphic onto the space where I was going to be painting it.

I traced around each letter and line with a pencil.  This took a while.

 After I finished tracing it out, I painted, very carefully, inside my pencil lines.

I used white acrylic paint and a teeny tiny paint brush to paint the graphic.  I am absolutely thrilled with the results!  It's my very favorite thing I've ever made, ever. Which is why I call it my masterpiece =) 



P.S. I just found this picture of what it used to look like on my phone.  The image is really bad quality, but you can still see the before and after!



TTFeatured1 Thrifty Thursday Week 65

Beyond The Picket Fence

made in a day

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made in a day

Comments

  1. This is amazing! You have to link this up to some linky parties!!!

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  2. Thank you! And I definitely plan on linking this up... as soon as I get a few extra minutes!

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  3. OMG AMAZING! I am seriously in lOVE with this!! I saw someone use that graphic on a coffee table once too, I love love what you did with your frame. What a great find! And thanks for just another reason for me to go buy an overhead projector :)
    Stay crafty x0x0
    Jess
    {www.CraftyNonsenseNoted.com}

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    1. oh ps I gave you the Liebster award!! You have such a great blog :)

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  4. I love this & need it for my house!!! I would love for you to link up at my party going on right now! (It's my first one!!)

    Jill
    www.jillifyit.com

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  5. Holy smokes! That is truly gorgeous! I found your link at Fireflies and Jellybeans and glad I did! You SHOULD be proud!

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  6. Thanks everybody! Jill- I just linked up. Congrats on your first linky party!

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  7. Thanks for linking up at the party at Jillify It! Hope to see you next Tuesday! :)

    Jill
    www.jillifyit.com

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  8. This IS a masterpiece! It looks like an expensive Parisian home decor item. I am definitely pinning it! Quick question: after you painted the frame black, what color did you use on top?

    http://altered-artworks.blogspot.com
    Hope you can come by for a visit!

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  9. I actually didn't paint the frame. I painted the inside black (to cover up the picture) but the frame came that way. Lucky, right!?

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  10. This is an absolutely awesome project! I would never think of doing anything this creative.

    New follower from Freak Friday Follow!!

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  11. Fantastic--love this so much, the writing, the finish on the wood. Thanks for linking up!

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  12. This looks great, I found your blog on 5 days 5 ways linky party!

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  13. Wow - nice work!! That had to have taken quite a bit of time. Love it though.

    Thanks for linking up to the Take it on Tuesday blog hop!

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  14. Hi Rebekah, stopping by from Delicately constructed fridays link party. That is really a masterpiece! It turned out great! I love it!
    I'm following you now and I'd LOVE that you stopped by my blog.
    http://handmadebyizz.blogspot.com/
    Greetings from Spain

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  15. That is so pretty! I've never seen anything like it :)

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  16. I can't believe no one bid on that gorgeous old frame. And, I can't believe this is your first project. YOU DID GREAT. I just found you over at Jillyfy It, and have become your newest follower. Please come visit me and follow back.

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  17. Wow!!!! This looks incredible, you did an amazing job.

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  18. holy cow. this IS a masterpiece!! i'd love for you to link this up to my new spread the love link party. there is also an amazing giveaway going on now for a green berry shop scarf! http://www.lovenotesbylauryn.blogspot.com/2012/03/spread-love-1-green-berry-shop-giveaway.html check it out if you are interested! {love} lauryn @ lovenotesbylauryn.blogspot.com

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  19. What an amazing transformation! Thanks for sharing how you did it. :)

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  20. Wow! Stunning transformation! Great job!!
    Blessings,
    Myrna

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  21. Oh, it's fabulous! I just love when I make, paint, sew something and I'm thrilled with the results. It's such a joy! Following. Best wishes, Linda

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  22. It is gorgeous! You have a steady hand--my attempt would many wavy lines.

    Erika
    It’s a Wrap Link Party at Artful Rising

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  23. This is a great transformation! Thanks so much for sharing at Fabulous Friday!

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  24. This looks wonderful. I just complete my first graphic transfer as well. There are so many different methods out there. I want to try them all. Great job!

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  25. What a fantastic find and a beautiful job transforming it. How hard was the painting?

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    1. wow! such a great look! thanks for linking up to Make it Monday! I'll be sharing on the Brassy Apple FB wall and on twitter too!

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    2. Thank you! The painting itself wasn't actually as hard as I thought it would be... It was the sitting-hunched-over-while-doing-it part that got me!

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  26. It's my favorite thing you ever made too and I haven't even checked out your other stuff! Love it!

    ~Bliss~

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  27. Congratulations! I hope this is the first of many masterpieces for you (I have a feeling it is) and it is stunning. I would buy it in a heartbeat.

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  28. Wow, you did a wonderful job! Love it!

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  29. It is an absolute masterpiece. The detail in this is equisite. I'm following GFC. Thanks for sharing at Whimsy Wednesday over at The NY Melrose Family.

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  30. Love it! Would love for you to share this over at my place.

    XO,
    threemangoseeds.blogspot.com

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  31. Great work!! Love the detail and frenchiness!! :)


    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  32. Love this! Well done! I'm your newest follower, I'd love if you followed in return and linked up to my little party: http://www.nutmegplace.com/2012/03/showoff-saturday-5.html

    Hope to see you there!

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  33. This looks amazing.. Thanks SO much for linking to Pin'Inspirational Thursday.. Sincerely appreciate it.. Wishing you a lovely start to your weekend.. Hope you are back again next week.. ;)) xo~ Marilyn

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  34. This is gorgeous! What an amazing transformation! Thanks so much for sharing with the Pink Hippo party.. can't wait to see what you share next so I am your newest follower!

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  35. Now that really is a masterpiece! I wish I had a projector - love the way this works!

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  36. Really love it! What a great project. You had wonderful vision to see what it could be and how to get it there.

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  37. I love it! What a great find and redo!
    Thanks for linking it up to Show & Share!
    Featuring it in tomorrow's party!

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  38. Love this I featured this today! Stop by and link up again!
    Kim@madeinaday
    http://madeinaday.com

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  39. Thanks for your comment on Keep It Krafty! I love the way your chalkboard turned out. Isn't that decal the best little gem ever?! Great job

    -Jazmine
    keepitkrafty.blogspot.com

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