DIY Magnetic Chalkboard Wall

We had been going back and forth on creating a chalkboard wall somewhere in our house for quite some time. Originally, I had wanted to make one in the play room, then we were contemplating putting it in Bennett's room so that we didn't take up so much space of the playroom. We were also going back and forth with whether or not to DIY or to just purchase a nicer chalkboard, or even a white board. We had actually purchased a magnetic white board last week and upon arrival it was damaged - so we sent it back. Ordered another - a completely different brand - same issue, and I didn't like the way it looked (I was expecting a much higher quality). Before looking into new ones (for the third time), I started looking more into DIY chalkboards.

I always strayed away from the idea, because I really wanted a board that was magnetic. I wanted Bennett to have a board that he could not only use for fun, but that we could use while doing exercises with him, or while one of his therapists were at the house for one of his developmental sessions (a magnetic board would be perfect for what we were looking for).

After doing research online (there's not much free time I can spend doing anything these days - so honestly, it was max of 5 minutes while in the car - don't worry, as a passenger). I read a few reviews, compared products and found what I needed on Home Depot's website. We were already heading there for something else, so I bit the bullet, hoped for the best and purchased my supplies :)

I'm beyond thankful I did, because it really did turn out to be amazing!

Where we decided to "make" the chalkboard? We recently had our kitchen cabinets re-painted white, and not only did it transform the entire space (it looks like a brand new kitchen!), but it also created the perfect space for a DIY chalkboard. There was a big white wall on the side of our microwave/oven combo and it was the perfect spot, as it was completely un-usable, and is right before the entry way to the playroom. 

Here is our before picture :)

Supply List

- Painters Tape

- Chalkboard Paint

- Magnetic Chalkboard Primer (if you're opting to make yours magnetic as well!)

- Sand Paper Block (this isn't the exact brand I used, but it's similar!)

- Roller (I chose to use a smaller size)

- Paper Plate (I used this instead of using our last paint tray cover)

- Paint Stirring Stick (do these things have official names?!)

- Plastic glove for your painting hand (you don't want to end up with little black dots all over your hand/arm)

- Some kind of covering for your floor under your area

Directions

1 - Cover the floor that you'll be working on. I used an unfolded Cheerios box that was in our recycling bin!

2 - Lightly sand the wall with the sand paper block.

2 - Take a damp paper towel to run over the entire surface of the wall to clear off any residue that your sanding left. Make sure you allow a few minutes for the wall to dry so that it doesn't effect your painters tape sticking, or your paint.

3 - Use the painters tape around the border of your wall, to your desired size of your chalkboard.

4 - You're ready to start using the Magnetic Primer! A few takeaways that I'm happy I read about prior to starting this project:

• Stir the can EXTREMELY well. The primer is oil based, so when you first open the can - you'll panic a little as the top is oil and the bottom is a solid hunk of paint/goop. You should continue stirring until it is completely mixed and smooth (it took me a good 5-7 minutes). 
• The more layers of magnetic primer you use, the better your magnets will stick. I used half the can which ended up being 6 coats of magnetic primer.
• In between each coat, you need to wait 30 minutes before applying the next coat of primer.
• When you're done all of your primer coats, you'll need to wait 2 hours before applying the regular chalkboard paint.

5 - Applying the Chalkboard Paint!

• Again, stir extremely well. 
• It is recommended that you do a maximum of 2 coats of chalkboard paint, on top of a magnetic primer (the more you do, the less magnetic your board will become). So that's exactly what I did - just 2 coats!
• In between each coat of chalkboard paint, you should wait 2 hours. 

6 - Clean up your mess! 

Once you're done applying both coats of the Chalkboard paint, it'll be completely dry (according to the can) in 2-4 hours. I felt that mine was completely dry after about 30 minutes, but I was still paranoid so no one touched it until the next day :) It's also important to note that you should wait 4 days before using chalk on the board. The paint company recommends rubbing chalk all over the board prior to writing on the board (this is so that your first writing on the board doesn't leave a permanent trace). It's also recommended to wait 10 days after painting to use water for the first time to clean it. 

To give you an idea of how much paint you'll need, the two sizes that I linked above were perfect. After this project was complete, I had 1/2 can of the Magnetic Primer left, and 3/4 can of the Chalkboard Paint left. They're going to a momma friend for her to do the same in her kitchen! :)

Overall, I'm extremely happy with how the chalkboard wall turned out. Not only was it a much cheaper option than purchasing a quality grade chalkboard or white board, but it also is in the perfect location, and adds more character to that side of our kitchen. It's always a win/win when you find something that checks so many things off your wish list! 

Here are a few after pictures - and one of my little man with some of his favorite magnets :)

I hope these instructions will help you transform a great space in your home!

$1 Paint Sample Matching Activity

You read that correctly! This activity cost me $1 to make! We've been looking for different activities for Bennett that are great to use either in the car or on a rainy day when we're stuck inside. I saw this activity on Pinterest, and it was extremely easy to make.

The only items I needed to grab that I didn't already have were the paint sample sheets and the clothespins. We picked up the paint sample sheets when we were already at Home Depot. (Funny story - Kennedy chewed through the first orange sample we had while we were picking out our new stove top and I didn't even notice [I swear I do pay attention to my children, lol], so I had to swing back around after we checked out to pick up another!) The clothespins I picked up from the dollar store one afternoon while Bennett and I were running errands.


Materials Needed:
- Paint Sample Sheets
- Clothes Pins
- Hot Glue Gun + Glue (You can use other glue, Bennett is tough on his things, so hot glue for us is the most durable to use!)
- Scissors (and I used a paper cutter too)


First, start by cutting one long end of the paint sample sheet off, as shown here.

Next, you'll want to cut the smaller section that you just cut off, into smaller pieces so that each individual shade has it's own rectangle (this is the piece we'll be gluing on the clothes pins).

Once all have been cut, you're ready to hot glue the pieces on each of the clothespins! Place a small dab of glue on the end of the clothespin, and place your colored rectangle.

And..... you're done! It's literally that easy. Both kids took long naps today, and I was able to finally sit down to make these - it took about 10 minutes (the longest part was the cutting).

This activity is great for all ages - it's still too early for Bennett to match each of the shades well, so for now, we're having him put the clothespins on the correct color sheet in general, like shown below.

Organization Hack for Puzzles

I loved this idea when I came across it on Pinterest! Bennett is currently loving puzzles and loves to pull them out every day in his playroom. Puzzles are definitely easy to stack (making them easier to store neatly), but when thrown around with other puzzles and trying to organize them with other toys, I'm always nervous to lose pieces. Now, Bennett pulls out the envelope with the puzzle he wants to play with and brings it to you to open so that he can play with it. He has big chunky puzzles that I still leave out on his little table in his playroom... I only used this hack with his smaller pieced puzzles.

Materials

- Puzzles

- Legal Size Poly String Envelopes

I definitely recommend buying clear envelopes (they make a variety of colors) - it's much easier to see the puzzles :) Another tip that I read about this hack is to replace the string/button closures with small circle velcro pieces. It'll be easier for your kids to open the envelope, and you don't have to worry about the button or string pulling off.

When you're done, you can store in a cute basket or container - something you wouldn't have been able to do without them in envelopes :)

Bacon Wrapped Chicken & Asparagus

I tried this recipe a few months ago and we've had it a few times since then - I love the simplicity! It's been so hard to find the time to document anything on my blog recently, so I'm happy that I can finally take 5 minutes to sit down to write this one (thank you snow day and baby napping on my chest)! :)

Serving Size - 6

Ingredient List:

- Bacon (18 pieces)

- Chicken Breast (3 large pieces)

- Bundle of Asparagus 

Directions:

First, prep your chicken and asparagus. I like to rinse my asparagus, and cut a few cms of the ends off. For my chicken, after washing and trimming, for this recipe I like to cut the chicken breasts in half. When I tried this recipe for the first time, I quickly learned that 1 full chicken breast ended up being way too much for one serving. Next, you're ready to start assembling! 

Lay down 3 pieces of bacon, slightly overlapping each other.

Next, lay 4-5 pieces of asparagus down the middle of your bacon strips.

Top your asparagus with one of your chicken breast halves. Here, you can also choose to add any spices that you'd like. I added a little Old Bay. 

Lastly, take each strip of bacon and tightly wrap your chicken and asparagus, tucking the ends of each strip to the other side. (Note - After telling my sister about this recipe, she tried it and brushed some BBQ sauce over the tops of her bundles before baking and said that it was delicious!)

Once you've created all 6 of your Chicken/Asparagus/Bacon bundles, bake them at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.

When they're done, enjoy! :)

Tucker's 3rd Birthday

A few days late, but HE'S THREE :) [click to read about his first and second birthdays]

And yes, I'm still going to be that crazy mom who will blog about her dog's birthday even when she has a human child over her own...

He's our first (fur) child, and he brings so much love and fun to our little family! This year has been a busy year for Tucker - from getting a little brother to a new house! The bond that he and Bennett share melts my heart - they truly are obsessed with one another and love each other so much. If they're not together, they're always looking for where the other one is. He's so gentle with Bennett - Bennett literally hangs off of him, pulls his hair, rips toys out of his mouth - and Tucker just lays there and allows the craziness to happen. It's so sweet to see them interact.

As with my previous Tucker birthday posts:

Age Three Favorites:

• His brother! (This one definitely takes the #1 spot this year - he's obsessed)
• His new backyard and no longer needing to be on a leash. Having the ability to run wild has been so funny to see (until he gets distracted by sounds from the farm, trees, leaves, animals.... you name it - he gets side tracked)
• Along with the new back yard, comes his love relationship with squirrels... (thankfully, the few times that he was able to catch up with one - he'd attempt to play with it, like it were a dog, instead of trying to eat it) :) He still doesn't understand why they won't stay to play with him.
• The swing set in our new back yard - Haha his walker, Nicole (who he loves too!), taught him how to go up and down the slide - he likes to show off from time to time.
• His pup cousins and friends and having them over to play in the back yard.
• Pig ear treats (gross, i know - but what you can do?)
• Bell peppers - especially the red, yellow and orange ones! He loves to get scraps and leftovers when mom makes veggie trays!
• Pop's house - (Technically Meme's too - but he just doesn't jump and sprint to the door like he does when you say "We're going to Meme's house" like he does when you say "We're going to Pop's house")
• Playing ball with Bennett - He'll roll his favorite nasty dog ball to Bennett, Bennett will pick it up and throw it back to Tucker, and the cycle continues!
• Laying in the Bathroom supervising while Bennett plays in the bathtub
• Morning nap time with Bennett and Dad

Age Three Facts:

• Weight - 76 pounds (still apparently overweight according to the vet)
• Eats - Still twice a day (morning/evening) but grazes. He'll never fully eat everything in his bowl at one time (unless there's extremely yummy people food mixed in). 
• Still sleeps with Mom & Dad, and tries to sleep in Bennett's room when we leave the door open. He's also taken over the guest bedroom and sometimes moves there to sleep when Dad gets home from work and hogs the bed.

We're looking forward to another fun-filled year with our boys! :) Photos to follow in no particular order!

Leading us on a walk

Always checking him out

Snuggled up on the couch

Taking his guard dog duties very seriously

Obsessed with the snow

Fall photos!

Road trips 

"Let me get a closer look at you bro"

Enjoying the back yard this summer

4 weeks before Bennett arrived!

Meeting Bennett for the first time

Meme & Pop's Back Yard

Enjoying his birthday ice cream - 

Of course, little brother wants to try to steal some too

The morning mommy went to deliver that 

bowling ball that she was carrying around!

Prepping the nursery - he assumed the little chair was for him

Packed and ready for Meme and Pop's House!