Ready For Spring

Don't get me wrong, I love snow...but I am ready for spring. In my anticipation and dreaming for spring, I started working on ideas and projects for a spring mantel-scape. The mantel has been bare since the Christmas decorations were removed - I don't decorate for V-day. And this bare mantel has been bare for too long now.

First up on project-decorate-mantel-for-spring is chalkboard books. However, black chalkboard does not say spring to me, it is more halloween. I want bright and fun, not dark and scary. So I made bright blue chalkboard paint which screams spring. (DIY chalkboard paint is for sale in my Etsy shop!)

After making the chalkboard paint, I painted the backs of a stack of books. And I only painted the back of the books so I could still use them around the house without showing the chalkboard paint on the back.

A few coats of chalkboard paint later and the books were ready to be chalked, or drawn on with a piece of chalk. 

Yay! It works and they look super cute. But laying the books flat on the mantel are not the way to go. We need to show off these DIY chalkboard books by hanging them. I put two gorilla hooks into the wall and then strung a colorful ribbon between the two hooks. Then hang the books on the ribbon.

First project on decorating mantel for spring was a success, and super easy to do. And I can write whatever message suits my fancy on the books. I can also change the paint color to burnt orange for fall, or pink for V-day, if I ever decide to decorate for V-day.