Chalkin' It Up To Beginner's Luck!

I've been wanting to do a chalkboard forEVER! I had that little tin platter that I got for .99 at Goodwill, but didn't do anything with it....then my Grandma M's birthday came up!

I had envisioned something sweet (to match my Gma!). I knew that some where there was a verse in the Bible that said something about a good wife was more precious then rubies....Proverbs 31:10....decided not to quote it completely because I didn't want to give her something about a "wife"....she is SOOOO much more then just a good wife!!!

Anywhooo...the chalkboard~ Amber and I went junk shopping again, looking specifically for something for this project....went to all the stores, but nada...a big ol' goose egg! On a last ditch effort, I suggested Old Time Pottery. Amber found this picture for $1.99...PERFECT! (sorry, I forgot to take a pic before I taped up the frame!)

Figured since I was busting out the paint, I might as well do the platter too!
At first I tried a really old can of spray chalkboard paint, but it looked just like satin regular paint...so took the kiddos to Wally World and for $9 got a quart of chalkboard paint....it takes next to nothing, so I'll be chalking up everything!!!! (and yes, I was spray painting on my washer....ssshhhh....don't tell Jim!)

I attached a red ribbon to hang it, wrote the saying and blah....

So, I sent a pic to Amber, asking what does it need? Bling! (and I shortened the ribbon a TON!)

Ehhh? Still not there yet...how to tie in the red with the picture....

There was a creamy pearlish middle part of the frame....thought to myself..."Self, we should try and wash some red into the frame!" Do you think I could find any red acrylic paint in the house! Absolutely not...on a whim, I opened the junk cupboard (you know y'all have one!) and there it was so close it could have bit me! Not red paint, but RUBY nail polish!!!! It had just enough sparkle and looks perfect!

Then I decided I didn't really like the way the chalk kept fading and smearing....in the cafe we used liquid chalk pens...like I was going to find one of those! I tried everywhere....finally about to give up when I called Michael's....They have them!!!! Oh Happy Day!

Here's the difference between chalk and the marker (the marker washes off with Windex).

Chalk:

Marker:
It's not as super bright as this picture looks....just cloudy day and super duper flash on the camera phone! Comes in a bunch of colors and won't rub off with little fingers everywhere!

My cursive stinks....I know...failed it in 5th grade! Lefties just aren't ment to slant to the right!!!!! I haven't used true cursive since then....had to practice ALL night just to get that!!!