Although having three children has forced me to ease up a bit, I have OCD at heart. How do I know this? When the IKEA catalog gets delivered I have to stop what I'm doing and flip through it- cover to cover. I drool over organizational products. I've always wanted to have one of those pantries that has all the food stored in glass jars and practically alphabetized. I do understand that it wouldn't always be practical, but it looks GREAT!
Well, yesterday while wondering Wal-mart aimlessly, I stumbled upon some really nice glass food storage jars for way less than I've seen anywhere. They had massive ones that could probably fit two bags of flour for around $4 each! The medium ones could probably hold a bag of sugar and they were around $3. The small ones were around $2 and would be great for tea bags or a small sugar jar. I grabbed a few of each and decided (obviously) that I would turn it into a project! I love using chalkboard paint. There are so many uses for it, and being ridiculously easy to use (and relatively inexpensive) why not use it for this?
Make These in 30 mins!
Tools and Such:
x-acto / razor blade
painter's tape
Chalkboard Paint (about $11 for a quart)
paint brush or roller
jars
Step 1: Tape Off The Jars
Use the painter's tape to tape off the area you'd like to paint. Be sure to really apply pressure to secure the tape down so the paint doesn't bleed.
You can also make custom shapes using a stencil - scalloped edge, circle, oval, whatever! Just tape the entire surface of the jar, being sure to overlap a bit and trace your shape on top of the tape.
Use the x-acto knife or razor to cut out your traced design. Peel up the tape slowly, being sure you aren't ripping the tape.
Step 2: Paint!
Use a roller or a brush to apply the paint. The paint will level itself off to an extent, so don't worry about it looking perfect! Let it dry for 30 minutes. If you think it needs another coat wait an hour longer before applying it. If not, Step 4!
Step 4: Unveil Your Masterpiece!
Peel the tape off slowly. Don't worry if some of the paint bled through, just clean it up with the x-acto. To condition the chalkboard surface, use the side of a piece of chalk to rub the entire surface, then erase it. Now label your jar :)
Oh look at that! You're one step closer to Pantry OCD, too!