Ivy Leagues and Chalk Boards

The day we moved in, I ripped down the top layer of wallpaper in the kitchen.  Its baskets, butterflies and hearts gave me the chills.

Unfortunately, I found layer #2 underneath, and it was even worse – 1980’s ivy. Remember when everyone was painting ivy on their furniture, kitchen cabinets and walls?

I didn’t want to pay anyone to remove the ivy because we hope to gut the kitchen, and that wall will probably come down.  So I decided to paint right over it with chalkboard paint.  It would be dark enough to cover the wallpaper and provide our family endless fun writing on the walls! (Only color this wall and this wall only, kids.)

First we primed the walls with Kilz.  (There’s our friend Alan and free handyman helping us. Thank goodness he works for pizza.)

Then, we painted two coats of Valspar chalkboard paint from Lowe’s ($14 a quart.)

And viola!  It’s a message board, where I have written our phone numbers and address for sitters, as well as a creative space for the kids!

Do your kids have a creative space? Let me see!