Craft Show Chalkboard

I’m no longer doing craft shows, but I wanted to do a craft show chalkboard display for The Sugar Shack where I’ll be holding my furniture pieces until they are re-homed. The cool thing about this craft show chalkboard? It’s displayed on a vintage ladder!

How to Make a Craft Show Chalkboard Display

Yes! A thrift store artwork frame and a vintage ladder are the perfect pair to make a craft show chalkboard display!

Because I save so many scraps, I had nearly the perfect piece of thin plywood to fit the thrift store artwork frame. I only had to trim a tiny bit off each side to make it fit.

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Easy Chalkboard Options Without Paint or Tools

Don’t have a table saw or plywood? There are other options to fill a thrift store frame to make a chalkboard.

You could use a foam core board with some Self Adhesive Chalkboard material.
The Home Depot has thin plywood that already has chalkboard paint applied, and they may cut it to size for you.
Chalkboard Foam Core (just cut to size)
Turn the artwork over and paint chalkboard paint directly on the back.

After trimming my thin plywood, I used my orbital sander with 220 grit sandpaper to get a really smooth surface. Always remember to dust off your project before applying spray paint.

Chalkboard Spray Paint–Oh So Easy!

For quick and easy projects like this craft show chalkboard, I love using this Chalkboard Spray Paint. I always keep some on hand.

Spray painting projects vertically will really yield the best results for a smooth surface. The downside to this is runs, so you need to be very careful.

How to Paint an Artwork Frame

When you’re an impatient crafter like I am, these painter’s triangles really help hurry things along. I painted the back of the frame, then carefully turned it over and rested it on the little yellow triangles which allowed me to paint the front of the frame without having to wait for the back to dry first.

Toss Out That Staple Gun

This Logan Dual Driver Elite makes this job so much easier. For years I tried to use staple guns but this little guy is so much better. The points come in rigid and flexible. Flexible points allow you to lift them to remove picture framing components. I bought this 7 years ago and I’m still loving it as much as I did when I first bought it.

Staples tend to protrude through the front of the frame. Been there, done that!

Sand Craft Show Chalkboard Surface

Although the chalkboard surface was nearly perfect, I like to sand it very lightly with a fine grit sanding sponge to make it ohhhh so smooth! Yikes! I think it’s time to invest in a new sanding sponge.

Voila! Easy Craft Show Chalkboard!!!

Easy Welcome Stencil (Transfer)

Using a Chalk Couture Transfer from The Junky Chalker shop and chalk paste, I did the word welcome. After doing it, I realized it needed to be a little lower on the chalkboard, so I simply wiped it off and redid it.

Using a dollar store chalkboard, a cropadile, alphabet transfer and chalk paste I made an open and closed sign to hang on the craft show chalkboard. That is when I realized I needed to move the welcome down, in order to hang the sign. Previously, the word Welcome was up too high.