Chalk it up for easy gifts!!

My best friend and I set a $30 limit this year for our Christmas gifts. We have done this the last few years and it's been great! We are both people who tend to go a little over the top with gifts... so this way we can save money and we are forced to get creative! This year I decided to make Amy a chalkboard for her kitchen. With a baby on the way... a chalkboard for grocery lists, to do lists and fun baby things couldn't be a bad idea... right?? 

Here's what I did...

 To keep under my $30 budget I found myself at Michaels for a frame. Because it was Christmas season I found a great coupon for half off any frame including the sale frames. I got a black simple but very classic frame! My mom had some left over chalkboard paint I could use and sent me home with the roller too!!

  

You can always paint the insert or the backing of the frame. Or you can cut and paint a piece of Ply, Veneer, MDF... any thin wood really. Just remember to keep it really thin because you want it to fit in the frame and still be able to get the back of the frame on. My dad cut the piece I used with a little hand held saw... my parents have the best tools!! I painted it with a bunch of thin coats of the chalkboard paint... maybe 4 or 5 by the end of it.

I let the piece of wood dry and I put it in the frame placing the back on next. Oh and by the way... this frame did come with a piece of glass too... I took that out and saved it for a future craft project.

Boyfriend was running to Lowe's one night and I asked him to pick up a half-moon dresser/drawer pull. I wanted something cute to hold the chalk. He picked out a great one!

 A couple of screws later and this baby looked awesome!!

I bought a pack of chalk and a couple of cute baby things to hit my $30 mark... and AMY LOVED IT!!! She set it out for her hubby to hang the next day!! 

I love budget Christmas gifts... it's a great chance to make your friends something you know they will love. Try this one... it is super easy!!