Repurposing: Chalkboard Bookshelf

Ok, so today's post technically breaks the blog "rules", as it didn't take place in my kitchen. But spray painting in one's kitchen typically isn't a very good idea. So for the sake of my dishes, appliances, and sewing station, I spent the time on the patio. It was a good day for it, since it was 54 degrees today (instead of the low-30's it's been for a few weeks!)

So a few years ago, we bought a used bed super cheap for my oldest son, knowing he wouldn't use it for awhile, but figuring it would complete the look of his room until then. The headboard was a bookshelf, and it was a platform bed with drawers underneath. One of the drawers was already falling apart when we bought it, and through 2 moves (with no sign of my son using it anytime soon in sight), it eventually all fell apart and wasn't worth moving anymore. I did convince my husband to let us keep the headboard, however, because it was the only bookshelf that our kids had in their room.

And so it sat, looking kind of strange, with a large flat area at the bottom and the bookshelf area up top. One day, while trying to figure out where we could put a chalkboard in their room, I had a brilliant idea. Why not make the bottom of the bookshelf into the chalkboard? So on Christmas morning our kids unwrapped a can of spray paint and some chalk, with a promise that as soon as Daddy was off work and we got some decent weather, they would have a chalkboard of their very own. Today, we made good on that promise. :)

Before. As I got started I realized that the areas taped were not enough protection. So i had to go back and tape down pieces of paper bag onto the shelves to protect them all (and I still didn't do the greatest job, but the kids won't mind!)

And the final product:

I can't wait until it dries and they can use it!