Calling all crafters… this little gem of a workshop will warm your heart! I had never been to an AR workshop before a friend of mine shared a class that sparked my interest, so this was the first time I really got to see what they were all about. First of all the shop itself was adorable and everything that hung on the wall could fit perfectly into my home. They specialize in customized wooden craft signs and when I say customized… I mean you choose every color, add your name, etc! They do it all in a super fun setting, which is PERFECT for girls night or date night if your husband is a secret crafter like my own 🙂

Ok, now to the reason that I am at the AR Workshop… CHALK LETTERING! Be still my heart… this event was what this mama needed in her life! No only was it a perfect afternoon activity to get your creative juices flowing but I got to go with some fun girlfriends! I highly suggest attending a workshop like this, however, there were a couple of tips that rocked my little chalk board world! These will take you on the first couple steps from a chalk board rookie to chalk board pro… ok maybe not a pro but you will feel like you are making some amazing progress!

Tips for chalking

Get the right tools! This is a given, however, for all the times I wrote “First Day of School” or “Happy Halloween”… I didn’t use any of these tools! Jump on Amazon before you even finish this post and purchase these items!

• Get the right style board… if you have a chalkboard painted board (this is for those of you that made your own with chalk paint… you can ONLY use pain old chalk-see below). If you have a BAKED on chalk board… like the ones you get at Hobby Lobby that are super smooth, you can use a plain chalk OR chalk pen (like this one).
• Crayola Anti Dust Chalk (yes there is still dust and yes there is a difference!) Our instructor taught us that this chalk is thicker and sturdier! And the dust is good! Don’t be afraid 🙂
• Chalk Holder–– yes this will change your life! I tend to break my chalk by holding too tight, so this is great…plus it keeps your hands from being too chalky.
• Chalk Pencil— I didn’t even know this was a thing! It helps create those thin lines for detail and allows for you to sketch something first
• This one is the BEST yet…. a pencil sharpener!! Sharpen your chalk ladies, this will CHANGE your chalkboard life! I had never done this simple tick and when she said it, I was hooked! Also save your dust shavings, use this to season your board and add dimension!
• Find a style font that you like by doing some research. I love these handwriting books.
• Microfiber cloth, this was GREAT to erase your board and get it all ready!

Some other items you may already have

• a pencil, use the eraser to add shadowing
• q-tip, although I didn’t originally use it for the teachers intended use, I found it use full to help clean up my letters and if you fluff the tip, you can use it to add some shadowing to your letters.

Practice, practice, practice! Once you have the right tools… take your time to recreate the letters. You will find your own style and that is GREAT!

If you have an AR Workshop near you, I highly recommend attending. The experience was incredible!

xo,

Danielle