I’m so proud to have an artist in the family. At the mere age of 2, Olivia shows great promise! Seriously, this kid’s color choices and spacial awareness puts to shame some “professional” artists and their fancy gallery openings. Okay, maybe I’m gushing, but she does me proud!
Between auditions, errands, family commitments and activities, we are constantly on the go. Crayons are great, but this Southern California heat, are not always a great choice for car rides. Not to mention the streak of blue I now have on my car’s upholstery due to an unfortunate “magic wand” incident.
My solution? A self-contained travel chalkboard case! The plan is to take an 
unfinished wooden cigar box, finish it with chalkboard paint and add a handle. Chalk and an eraser can be kept inside! If I’m really ambitious, I may paint the inside, as well! “But why chalk?” you may ask. “Won’t the dust get everywhere?” Why yes, it may. It is much easier to wipe up chalk dust than to try to scrub out waxy crayon or marker that has already begun to set. Watercolor, while another one of our favorites, is just not conducive to a day in the car. So chalk it is. It dusts of easily or comes off almost any surface with a damp cloth. Ahem, baby wipe.
So here we go!
I’m using Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® Chalk Style Paint in Shiplap for the outside of the case. You can find this at your local Target so that’s a HUGE plus! It’s nice and thick, which means great coverage. It has a 1-hour dry time or 2-hour wait before the second coat. I love the color! Almost any chalk color will pop off and it’s much more fun to carry around something more bright than traditional chalkboard black.
The cigar box I ordered from Amazon and just needed a quick sanding. I left the hardware on and cleaned off any excess paint with a q-tip. The hardware is pretty snug and I didn’t want to mess wit it.
The first coat has been sanded down so there’s a nice smooth base. Again, I love how well this paint covers everything. Just a couple more steps!
So real life kicks in and the interior of the box is postponed….but that was a bonus anyway. Chalk and a dust rag fit perfectly and a Olivia can enjoy her “art purse” wherever we go!
