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Peace On Earth

OUR 2nd HOUSE

…or chalkboard paint.  Whatever comes first I guess.  That would be the paint.  Because as long as there is religion, Lindsay Lohan, and colon cleanses, there will be no peace.  You might not want to admit it, but you and your gastroenterologist know I’m right.   

Here’s one of the quickest and easiest updates I’ve ever tackled.  Heck, there wasn’t even a tackle, because that would imply a struggle.  This was more like falling down and boom, craft done.  It’s super easy.  And it all starts with a second hand globe…  

My mom got it for me at Goodwill for $5.  It had a dent.  Right over North America…which sounds just about right.  I love America and all but we have big problems.  I mean…have you watched American Idol these days?!  Simon Cowell would hang his head in shame. 

Important and lifechanging topics aside…I decided I was gonna mask the good ole U S of A and the rest of the planet we call home with a nice coat of chalkboard paint.  First I took out the globe from the support base…then I took it outside and stuck it on a random stick (redneck version of a skewer).  I didn’t want to have chalkboard grass so I put down a piece of cardboard and punctured a hole in it with a screwdriver…then drove my globe stick down through the hole into the ground.  That way it sat up and I could get a full coat without puddling or mucked up paint.      

Then I got to spraypainting with the chalkboard paint.  (You can see the little poinsettia project here I did with this product awhile back!) 

The key is to make sure it’s well-covered.  Cover it like a beard on a Duck Dynasty chin…thin and numerous hairs…I mean, coats.

A little reassembling later…

 I love it.  I know it’s like a black globe…which is a little frightening…like pollution finally killed our planet…and I might be the only one that digs it (the color, not pollution…hollah greenies!) but I do. 

 

I figure I could always chalk it up later…maybe with joy and peace all over it.   Literally it would be peace on earth.  and I would bring joy to the world.  His name is baby Weston 🙂 

Seriously though…I think I might do that…I photoshopped it just to see it in action…

 I’d have to prep the surface first which means rubbing chalk all over it to make sure the surface doesn’t grip to that first writing like glue.  I’ll do it just as soon as I get the courage to climb back up on that ladder to get it.  Geesh.  As I get older, my heights thing is getting worse.  Next thing you know, I’ll be sleeping on the floor because I won’t wanna fall out of bed.  I’m not even kidding.

So that’s a super quicky update I did to my ole thrift store globe.  My mom didn’t like it at first but once she saw it in the shelves, she said that ‘it grew on her’.  I think majority of stuff I do is like that 🙂  

Have you guys been doing anything awesome lately?  Chalkboard spraypainting?  Or fun with globes?  I think I have a small obsession with globes…it is like a carnival materializes around me when I find one.  Oh and here are a couple tips if you are new to the chalkboard world :

  • you always want to let the coats fully dry and then season the chalkboard with the chalk (just rub the side of chalk all over it until it’s nice and whitish…then dust it off with a microfiber towel.
  • Michael’s and other crafting stores sell chalkboard pens for precise typography (remove it with a uber gentle rubbing of a damp Magic Eraser)
  • dip your regular chalk in water for a really opaque marker-like chalk line (it may not appear bold at first but will dry brighter!)
  • outline your chalkboard lettering first with a light hand and use a slightly damp towel and progressively darker lettering for perfect results
  • for folks that have no confidence, print out lettering on paper and coat the back with rubbed chalk.  Tape it in place (chalk side down) on your chalkboard and use a pencil to outline the precise lettering on the front to transfer the chalk.  Then remove the paper and darken the transfered chalk. 

Any other tips for chalkboard drawing or lettering?!  Love to hear em!

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Comments

  1. You are by far the funniest blog I read. I love your humor and I am totally with you on the reality of world peace. I think your blog might help bring the peace around though. More people laughing and crafting equals less crazies. Happy Monday!

  2. I’m totally a “chalkboard anything is better” person. 🙂 Cute globe.

    We haven’t been up to anything awesome, just a relaxing weekend..where FINALLY Spring weather is showing up. (writing from Chicago)!

    I’m gonna share my latest blog post with you because I can…toddler potty humor. Figure I could share it here. ha. I always thought that I would stray from the overshares about baby bodily functions, but apparently not. At least when it’s FUNNY! 🙂

    http://hennablossom.com/?p=1485

    OH, actually something actually awesome did happen this weekend. My toddler has a new Mohawk hair-do, haha!!

    Okay, getting way off topic here! (my speciality). Wanted to say good tip about prepping the surface. Ughh, didn’t do that on my first chalkboard wall. Live and learn, right?! 🙂

    Also, they sell chalkboard PENCILS now. I haven’t bought them yet, but definitely planning to buy some! You know, to get fancy.

  3. Cute! I think I may have to try that but I will be painting the base something bright! Something about this spring time weather (in Florida) has me craving color!

  4. American Idol actually has some pretty awesome female singers this year. Males, not so much!

  6. I really don’t like this globe. It looks so creepy! Usually I love your ideas though 🙂

  8. Noooooo! Why did an innocent globe have to die? Sorry, I’m a bit of a geography nerd, so I cry a tear for every globe lost to this decor accessory. Still, it does look pretty sweet! I hope you enjoy your chalkboard globe for years to come. Of course, I guess you could always draw the continents on it. 🙂

  10. We have a chalkboard wall in our kitchen and I love it for menu planning, notes, quotes, etc. but it never seems to get really clean. I recently saw somewhere that you can use Pepsi or Coke to wash it off–and it actually works really well. Just thought I’d pass that on 🙂 Love the globe!!

  11. It must be chalkboard paint week! I just did a little project over the weekend giving a fresh look to an old serving tray. You know what would look cool? A mini globe sitting next to your chalky globe painted in glow-in-the-dark paint #nowweretalking

  12. I could see doing this with Mark 16:15 on it! Go ye into all the world… Tempted to paint the globe currently sitting on my shelf…

  14. I like this, but I’d add some constellations, and make it into a star chart. You could do a winter and a summer sky if you wanted to get really into it.

  16. I love how this project turned out! I actually just painted my first chalkboard items a few weeks ago. I know, I know…I’m super late to the chalkboard game. But at least I finallyyyyy joined, right?!? 😉

  17. I’ve never commented before but have been reading you for a bit by way of YHL.

    This post had me cracking up all over the place and I’m totally going to do this!

  18. I’m really sorry, but no bueno! And usually I love your style! If I were you I would’ve painted the base and frame chalkboard black, letting your family fill in places they wish to visit. A good ‘ol vintage-looking globe is hard to come by.

  20. Nifty idea! I would be so tempted to re-draw the continents in colored chalk while shifting them around a little, like some kind of parallel universe science fiction thing. (I may or may not have attempted something similar with a marker and styrofoam ball when I was younger because I was a nerd that way, haha.)

  21. Oh really? I can’t ever find the blue ones but the vintagey ones are so easy for me to find. I have five of them and only two of the blue ones.
    xo – kb

  25. I thought the same thing! Then, I thought it would makes sense, especially for those countries that cease to exist or new countries that are created. It could be an evolving globe. What’s that? No more Yugoslavia? GONE (wipes off map – literally and figuratively).

  26. I love love love this and the idea of adding ‘peace’ and ‘joy’ on it makes me happy! 🙂

  27. Oh no! Totally hate it Katie! (Sowwiee!!)

    We have a huge map over our dining area and hubs and I stand and stare at it marveling at how much there is left to travel! We try to see atleast 2 new countries every year.. And since we are both 30, we still have many years of travel ahead of us.

    This travel-junkie is bawling her eyes out over the death of another globe to the perils of spray paint

  28. Sorry, not a fan of this one.. I love old globes and having a big black spinning ball does nothing for me.

  32. I recently rescued an old globe from my parents’ donation pile and this exact project has actually been on my to-do list for a couple weeks now! Glad to have another tutorial & tips to help!

  33. Love all your helpful tips about using & seasoning chalkboard paint- I will be well armed with the right knowledge when I finally get around to chalkboard paint project myself! And no worries about those with globe painting angst— globes aren’t an endangered object (as you rightly know from your own collections!) so keep on keepin’ on with your awesome self!!

  35. Not gonna lie, not sure if I’m feeling that black globe on your shelves. I think I may have liked it better in a bright coral or another color. But I love this idea in general. Gives new life to old stuff! You could have also left the globe as is and just painted the handle a bright color. That may have been cool too 🙂

  37. one of my very favorite uppity home stores has a chalkboard globe with the continents drawn on it. LOVE it. i think you should go for it!

  41. I collect vintage globes (love the soft blue ones) and I was getting all worried about what you were going to do to it but, you know, I kind of like it! I wouldn’t do it probably but I think it looks great. Would love to see the word ‘peace’ on it. That would be awesome. I think it is funny how everyone has such strong opinions about it!

  42. Use a regular old pencil sharpener on your chalk for a fine tip! No need to spend cash on fancy chalk pencil! #whatisachalkpencilanyway?

  43. Okay. I didn’t think I was going to like this, I was all like why oh why is she painting over a beautiful globe.
    But I love this. A whole lot.

    Very nice.

  44. Thats the exact thing I thought of when I saw it painted! Drawing on the continents in some fun chalk colours would look really cool.

  45. I love the before and I love the after! I realized how big the shelf was once you put the globe on it! Much bigger than I thought! Love all your projects!

  46. I was at Pottery Barn last night and they have the chalkboard globe. I immediately mentioned your blog. Such a cute idea!! I was thinking I would write a travel bucket list on it. Love it!

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