Handmade Gift

We recently (2 weekends ago) went to our family friends sons 3rd birthday party. I love making things for people and often gift handmade items, but it has come to the point where I feel bad if I don't put in some handmade effort into everyones gift. I know that it's kind of irrational, but I am the crafty one that makes cool handmade stuff.

So with the Party on the Saturday, I decided on Friday to make something (I know, right?) I had to pick something awesome (because they definitely warrant more effort. They are very craft worthy, appreciate it and always treat my handmade stuff well).

So what do you craft for a 3 year old boy who is in the destruciton-zone and that can be made in less than 24 hours?

Turns out chalkboards can be done in that time frame.

I headed to Spotlight to get my bits and pieces. I grabbed 6 scrapbooking placemats (A4 sized with rounded corners), a foam paint roller, some blue chalkboard paint and some wooden craft letters to spell his name.

I got home and did a single chalkboard coat on each placemat. I painted them 2 at a time on newspaper, then put them outside in direct sunlight to dry while I did the next 2, then the last 2.

By the time I took the last 2 out, the first ones were dry (theoretically, they should have been left 6 hours in between coats, according to the paint instructions, but I didn't have that much time and they were dry, so what the hell right?)
Took the first 2 back in and rotated through again putting on a second coat.

Left them all in direct sun until the sun set, then put the on the dining table until the morning (they were long dry by the time I brought them in, but why stack and risk it if they can be safely left out longer?).

In the morning I used a hot glue gun to glue on the letters for his name on one of the boards. So now they can use the 6 boards to make any arrangement and to fit any space they like, and one has his name to put in any corner or top, bottom, side etc.

We included some chalk and an eraser (Crayola chalk pack), plopped it in a gift bag and walked round the corner to the party.

When I got there, I was asked a few times what I made and was shown off as the lady who made the felt wrestling belt and the fabric covered canvases for him. Very glad I didn't default to a storebought firetruck (was considering it extremely hard)


Anyway, check them out! I am really happy with how they turned out and we have at least 3/4 of a container of blue chalkboard paint to do something with. Probably make a chalkboard wall for Squish around the house somewhere. Or keep it for when we make him a playhouse.