With Halloween less than a week away, many of you are already moving onto crafting for Thanksgiving. (Not me, of course, I’m still working hard on costumes!) Here’s a fun project that can be used, not only as decor, but also as a great way to open up a dialogue on gratitude with your kids and family. I ended up liking my Gratitude Calendar so much that I think I’ll keep it up year-round!
Supplies needed to create your own gratitude chalkboard calendar:
- Wood Framed Vertical Chalkboard (24×10.5)
- White Paint Pen
- Core’dinations Sand It Gadget with Sandpaper
- Be Thankful Free Printables 1 & 2 (After you click the links, a new window will open – click on the orange link to open the printable PDF)
- Preferred Transfer Method (Silhouette CAMEO, Transfer Paper, or just freehand it!)
Instructions:
1. Print off both Be Thankful Free Printables 1 & 2.
2. If you have a Silhouette, you’ll simply make the stencil, adhere it to the board and color in the letters. You can now jump to step 6, you lucky duck!
Don’t worry if you don’t have one, you’ll just have to trace over the letters with a piece of transfer paper taped underneath. Takes a little more time but also gives the calendar a bit more of a handwritten feel.
3. Continue copying the numbers and lines onto the chalkboard with the transfer paper.
4. Remove papers and tape. Fill in any spots you may have missed with a pencil.
5. Following the lines left by the transfer paper, use your white paint pen to carefully color in the image.
6. Once the paint is completely dry, take your super fine sandpaper and gently go over everything. This is where the white paint magically turns into permanent chalk! I love this step.
7. Only thing left to do is hang your Chalkboard Gratitude Calendar up somewhere you’ll remember to write what you’re thankful for every day of the month of November!
More Project Ideas
Floral 2016 Calendar Printable {Great for Gifting!}
Coffee Lover 2017 Printable Calendar Gift
Gratitude Artwork With Reusable Chalkboard Labels
DIY Mulled Cider Candle + Printable Tags
Colorful Wood Thankful Leaves
Colorful DIY Cornucopia Centerpiece
DIY Turkey Thanksgiving Treats
Easy Thanksgiving DIY Utensil Holders
Reusable Summer Bucket List
Thankful Thanksgiving Placemats
Vanessa is a self proclaimed sleep deprived mother of two adorable boys and when she has a little time to spare, she makes things and posts about them on her craft blog, Tried & True. If she’s not cooking, sewing, gluing or making, she would probably go crazy. Join her on her crafty adventure at Tried & True.
Hi – What do you use to make a template on the Silhouette?
Hi Maggie, You will use the downloadable file listed in the supply list. Here is a link to a tutorial on how to print and cut a file with the Silhouette.http://www.silhouetteschoolblog.com/2014/02/silhouette-print-and-cut-tutorial-for.html
Love the style of lettering
Hi
I’m an editor’s assistant and I help run a blog called “Weekly Scrapper”.
My company has shown an interest in a project of yours, we’d like to repost it on our blog and facebook page.
Our facebook page has a 100k+ fans and counting.
Here is a link to the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SCRAPBOOKEXPO
It would be great if you could email me back, we’re always looking for Great content!
Also, please reference this blog post / project and (at home, thanksgiving, gratitude calendar)
Sincerely,
Nick Cianflocco
Nick@scrapbookexpo.com
Weekly Scrapper Editors Assistant
WeeklyScrapper.com
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Allie, thanks for your question! Vanessa just updated the link above… she likes White Graphite Artists Paper from Royal.
Where do I find this transfer paper? What is the brand? Thanks!!
Such a cute project, and keeping a gratitude list does wonders for the outlook. I am giving this a shout out tomorrow on Saved By Love Creations.
Maria, you’re going to want a Permanent Paint Pen for this project. The kind that you have to shake and then press down on the tip to get the paint to come out. Glad you liked the project!
This is SO beautiful… May I ask the brand of the white paint pen? Craft supply store should have one? Any white pen ink or a special kind of ink? Thank you so much… Genius!
hermosa y muy practica. abrazos
This is such a neat project!
Could also be a fun idea for a chore board!
Elly, it’s called Mirella Script. I added a few curlycues in Photoshop to balance out the design. Glad you liked it!
This is so sweet, I love it! I’d prefer to write my own message though. What font is that, and where did you get it? Great idea and tutorial by the way!
Love this!
I am loving the “permanent chalk” look! Too cool!
I love the look of the white paint pen on the chalkboard. I’m imagining how useful a board like this could be for to-do lists and shopping lists too!
Beautiful!