Monday Made It: MOH Style!

So it is July, mid July (YIKES!) Today I received my "Welcome Back" email from my principal then proceeded to pour another cup of coffee and create... because double YIKES! Truth be told this is the first year I have not taught summer school, because I told myself I would take a break - HA! I have been busy with grad school and fulfilling my Maid of Honor duties for my best friend's wedding in October.

So Happy Monday Made It - WEDDING STYLE!

Everyone knows that chalkboard EVERYTHING is the trend these days, and being a teacher, I kinda-sorta-LOVE it. Just open up Pinterest and you are filled with font envy of all the beauteous chalk designs. Me being the "crafty" friend was immediately assigned DIY wedding duty, so I figured I would give the chalkboard lifestyle a go. After notebook pages full of practice and MINUTES holding my breath trying to perfect my lines here are my top tips for the perfect chalkboard anything:

1. Use your coupons to buy anything chalkboard-esque that is CHEAP. With the trend on the rise, Joanns likes to hike up the prices because painting something the color black makes it chalkboard 'duh.' So use your coupons and hunt through all the stores, even places like Homegoods.

2. Disclaimer on behalf of all retailers; none of the goods are actual chalkboards. So I will save you a lot of time and frustration, do NOT attempt to use actual chalk. Pick up a couple of these bad boys because they ROCK! And trust me on this one... I went through about 10 types of paint pens before I found one with the perfect opacity. I bought mine at Michaels.

3. Do as you say in your classroom, pencil first. I am NOT the pencil first type of lady, I like to go in with the big guns right away and whatever happens, happens! Now this is NOT for my wedding so I think I was trying hard to be extra careful, and I am glad I was. I erased and fixed lines a LOT. Plus I got to see my entire vision because that beautiful pencil shows up phenomenal on 'fake' chalkboard :)

4. Pin, Google, Stalk, Creep. Yes, these are common words in my Social Media Vocabulary. I am an Instagram addict and fonts make me unnaturally happy. So I follow a ton of calligraphers and pretty writers on my Instagram account. I don't try to replicate their writing, because they are goddesses, but I definitely use them for inspiration. Inky_Bianca is one of my faves because she posts videos of her writing technique, definitely helps the creative juices flow.

5. Breathe. This is REALLY hard to do when you are a serial perfectionist. Or at least breathe in between letters :)

Now I don't want to give away everything about my bestie's chalkboard signs, in case any of her wedding guests read my blog (cough HI MOM! cough), but I do want to show you some sneak peeks. These are some of the signs, and they were inspired by other peoples' amazingly adorable ideas on Pinterest.

I also want to share with you this pretty little number. She is inspired by my new Kendra Scott ring because she matches the baggie it came in, haha. I like to think teal is my power color, so Essie's Blosson Dandy is a summer must have.