This post is brought to you by Mod Podge and The Blueprint Social. I received free product and was compensated for my time creating this project. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.
I love Christmas! As soon as the table is cleared on Thanksgiving night, I am counting down the days until the calendar flips over to the big 25. I love Advent calendars as an interactive way to countdown to Christmas but I needed something else. When I got a big box of shiny and glittery Mod Podge and paint in the mail, I knew my something else needed to have some bling. After a couple weeks of pondering, my Christmas Countdown Chalkboard was born.
Supplies Needed:
- Wood frame OR a framed chalkboard
- Chalkboard paint
(if you're using a plain frame)
- Scrapbook paper
- Sparkle Mod Podge
- Glossy Mod Podge
- Gift Tag shape from package of Podgeable Shapes
- Paint (I used Folk Art brand)
- White
- Metalic Gold
- Gold Chunky Glitter
- Ribbon scraps (I used a combo of metalic gold and red)
- Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
- E beads (red and iridescent)
- Glue
- Paintbrush and/or Foam brushes
- Scissors
Prep the Frame
Remove the wire hanger from the frame and paint it white. Once its dry, paint the center with two coats of chalkboard paint if you are using a plain wood frame. Obviously, skip this step if you purchased a framed chalkboard. Set it aside to dry.
Make the Gift Tag
Take the gift tag Podgeable shape and trace the outline onto the back of the scrapbook paper you would like to use. Cut out the paper shape.
Podgeable shapes are lightweight acrylic pieces that can be Mod Podged on both the front and back for cool dimensional effects. This was my first time working with them and I love how great they make the finished piece look.
Paint one side of the tag with chunky gold glitter paint. Next, give it a generous coat of Sparkle Mod Podge (on the same side you put the glitter on). Apply Sparkle Mod Podge to your scrapbook paper as well and flip it design-side down onto the podgeable. Rub the back to get out any air bubbles before applying another generous coat of Sparkle Mod Podge, being sure to seal the edges. Place it acrylic-side-down to dry (I propped it up on a paint bottle so the edges would be free to dry without sticking).
When the Mod Podge has dried enough to touch the back (the clear side may look cloudy for a while but it will dry clear and sparkly), cut two pieces of gold ribbon the length and width of the podgeable with a little extra to wrap over the edge. Apply Sparkle Mod Podge to the back side of the ribbon and adhere it to the front of the gift tag. Wrap the extra around the back and adhere with glue.
Make the "X-mas countdown" label by using a fine point brush and gold metallic paint to write on a piece of white scrapbook paper. Use the Glossy Mod Podge to adhere it to the front of the Podgeable using the same technique described to adhere paper to the back of the Podgeable. When the Mod Podge is dry, use Mod Podge Dimensional Magic to cover just the white tag. This will give it a finished look similar to poured resin or expensive puffy stickers but with way less mess. (if you have never used Dimensional Magic before, check out Plaid's great how-to video here). Set the tag aside to dry.
Mod Podge the Frame
To cover the frame with scrapbook paper, make template pieces from some plain paper (pic 1). This allows you to tweak the shape without messing up the pretty paper. Then trace the template shapes onto the back of the scrapbook paper and cut out the pieces (pic 2). To adhere, apply a generous coat of Sparkle Mod Podge to one side of the frame (pic 3) as well as the back of the scrapbook paper. Press onto the frame, rubbing to get out the bubbles before applying another generous coat of Sparkle Mod Podge over the top (pic 4). Repeat with the other three sides.
Finishing Touches
To give the plain wire hanger some bling, I strung red and iridescent E beads onto the part that stuck up above the frame. I also threaded some gold and red ribbon through the hole on the gift tag.
Before using the chalkboard, you need to remember to prime it. To do that, rub the side of a piece of chalk all over the board and then rub it in/off with a rag. Lastly, reattach the beaded wire hanger and glue the tag onto the edge of the frame.
Once the glue is dry, you can write your countdown message on your chalkboard!
Finished Product:
I hope you enjoyed my project and feel inspired to make your own. For more great holiday inspiration, visit Plaid, online here:
Get Inspired:
I'm not the only one blogging about great holiday projects made with Mod Podge this holiday season! Check out more of my fellow bloggers' great projects below:
