DIY chalkboard Christmas countdown (from old picture frame)

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand provided by ShurTech Brands, LLC.   All opinions are 100% mine.

This year, our kids (ages 7, 5, 3 and 1) really wanted to make Christmas Countdowns.  We have done them in the past, but they were always the ones where you put the cotton balls on Santa’s beard- one for each day until it is full.    This year, we recycled one of our old picture frames (I have a stash of frames that we no longer use in our guest room closet and this was one of them.)

Materials:

• Foam Brush (any paint brush will do, but I used a foam brush)
• Scissors
• Ribbon (optional – to hang it)
• An old photo frame with plexiglass.  

• Chalkboard Paint

• EZ Start Printed Packaging Tape – I love their products!  They have SO many different styles of tape, but these three are what I wanted for my projects this month.  I used two for these countdowns and one to dress up my Christmas Gift packages.    Oh- they are on Twitter, too, if you want to see their newest items:   @TheDuckBrand    
  If you saw my post on the best gift for a Creative Child … this would be something you could add.  
• 

Here is how I went about making this. 

Step one: 

Remove the glass and get started.

Put the tape on the outside of the frame.  I overlapped the corners to be sure that it was on neatly and that I didn’t have to fold it over and have too many wrinkles in the tape.   I didn’t figure this out until I was onto my third side, so learn from my mistakes.  Cut the tape the length of the side instead of going over.   If you do go over (like I did in my pictures), just use your scissors to cut it and fold it neatly back over.

Moving onto your plexiglass – paint this with the black chalkboard paint.  (I picked plexiglass because I was afraid that if it would fall when we were changing the number, it would break).  

I did three coats of chalkboard paint, letting each one dry.  I probably could have gotten away with two, but do what works for you.

Let this dry and then place it back into your frame.

That’s it!

Use this as a chalkboard Christmas Countdown.

My guess is that Santa will even leave the kids a little note of his own on this when he drops off the gifts! 

Here is our finished product:

I wanted to add a bow to it and I also used ribon to hang it (after I decided to go with the bow) and I love it.   The kids do, too.  They get the chalk first thing in the morning and run over to change the number. 🙂 

What did you think?  Have you used this tape to make something in your house?  Share a picture or a link! 

Create your own & share it with me on my Christmas Pinterest Board!