Game Room journey - take 9 {Homemade Chalkboard & Cork Board}

 We can't have a game room without an official score board, right?  Right!

 So, I got to work, and created a chalk board for us to keep the high scores of games played in our home.

 Even better, it was cheaper then purchasing the chalkboard I originally planned on buying from Ikea.

And like my hubby said, "It's better then store bought, and means more, knowing you made it." 
{Ahh. isn't that sweet?!}

Bonus! I did a cork board for pictures of our family and friends playing games.  LoVe it.

I put them next to each other on the wall in our game room.

Wanna know how I made them?

Chalkboard Supplies:

Wooden tray w/ smooth, flat surface
Spray Paint
Sand paper
Chalkboard paint
Foam Brush
Chalk


Chalkboard Tutorial:

1} I found a wooden tray thingy at the thrift store. The bottom was flat, and smooth.
Just what I need to turn it into a chalkboard!

2} I didn't remove the flat surface backing, because even if it got spray paint on it, I knew I'd be covering it with chalkboard paint.

   

In order to match my game room colors, it needed a dip in spray paint.  I chose dark brown.

3} Once dried, I just had to shabby it up, so I sanded all the edges.

{This is a pic of the cork board frame, but I did the same for the chalkboard frame.}

4} Then, I painted chalkboard paint on the bottom, flat surface. Surprisingly, it took only one coat.

{ $9 at Wal-mart}

It took a couple hours to dry.  Ain't it pretty?  

5} Before I used chalk on it, I let it set overnight to be certain it was completely dry. 
I added a sawtooth hanger to the back, and hung it on the game room wall.

I'm so happy with the way it turned out!

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Cork board Supplies:

Framed Cork board
Spray paint
Sand paper
Over sized push pins
Photos


Cork board Tutorial:

1} I found a cute framed cork board at the thrift store. I was glad, otherwise, I was going to have to make my own. 

{Tip: To make your own cork board-- Take any frame, remove the backing, paint the frame, and add a cut piece of cork board where the backing used to be. EASY!}

2} I popped out the cork board piece from the back, and set it aside,

3} To match the chalkboard frame, I gave the frame a bath in the same brown spray paint.

{This is a picture of the chalkboard frame being painted, but I did the same for the cork board frame.}

4} Once dry, I needed to shabby it up, so the frame got tickled with sand paper all around its edges.

5} Then, I put the cork board back inside its frame.

6} I took 4 over -sized push pins, that I bought at Wal-mart, and spray painted them green. 

{8 push pins in pkg. for nearly $3} 

{I did this step when I was making another project that I spray painted green. Saved time!}

7} Almost done...

 I ordered photos I'd taken of family and friends playing games.  I did this through Wal-mart online photo.  The reason I share where I did it is, Wal-mart online photo allows you to create your photos in a 'collage' format. 

 This allows pictures to be reduced to different sizes, all placed on an 8x10 layout. I got to pick any color background I wanted for the edging of the collage, too. 
Also,  I did some photos in sepia, and some in color, for distinction.

 I chose the One Hour Photo option, and for only $3.03, I got an 8x10 collage. Pretty decent price.
Then, I brought it home, and cut out all the pictures from the collage. Using my cute push pins, I added them to my cork board.

The reason I chose to do a collage, is so 4x6 photos didn't take up all the space on the cork board.
Genius of me, I know! 

Gosh, I just love the giant green pushpins!!  I'm so pleased with the way the whole thing looks.

{My favorite picture here, is the one of Warren's mother cheering, arms in the air,

after she won a game of Aquire.  Mom and Dad Weber don't play games often, so this was rare and fun!}

..

 Our game room is really coming together nicely. I still have a few more projects up my sleeve before it's complete. {Will I ever be done, for real? Probably not. Knowing me, I'll always think of something else...}

 To me, it's the journey that matters. I'm loving every step I make in creating this room, and others, for our home.