Easy DIY Chalkboard Sign Tutorial

DIY signs are easy to make! In this DIY sign tutorial, you'll learn how to enlarge an image for FREE and repurpose a mirror into a chalk board to create an easy DIY Fall Chalkboard Sign. DIY signs are a budget friendly option when you're looking for inexpensive home decor, even a beginner can do it!

It's not very often that I show you the "after" of a finished project at the beginning of my posts. However, I wanted to show YOU that YOU CAN create beautiful DIY signs and they:

• don't have to be expensive!
• you don't have to have nice handwriting to artistic abilities to make them look beautiful!
• you don't even have to have wood OR TOOLS to create them!

In the time that it took me to watch a movie, I was done with this homemade chalkboard sign. Are you intrigued?! Excited to learn how? I hope so! Because THIS DIY sign was so easy to put together!



AND this particular style of homemade sign is so versatile! You change them and use them for just about any time of the year!

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5 Tips For Layering Paint That Will Get You Excited!

We're sharing 5 AWESOME and EASY tips for layering paint so you can create beautifully blended paint colors on your furniture and DIY home decor! 

In this furniture painting tutorial, you'll learn how to blend and layer paint onto a mirror with these easy color layering and blending painting tips! 


This furniture painting technique can absolutely transfer over if you're looking to layer multiple paint colors on your furniture as well!

You won't believe how easy it is to create high end looking furniture from your thrift store finds using this layered painting technique!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to products I love and use everyday. You can view our full disclosure here.

Painting mirrors are one of my favorite things to paint. 


Why? 


Because I'm not a patient person.


Not many of us are, right!?


And if you're like me then you enjoy a pretty furniture before and after that's EASY! 


Whether you're just starting to learn how to paint furniture or if you've been painting for awhile and you've never tried your hand at painting a mirror..  Friends, paint a mirror! 


It's the perfect sized project to learn how to layer multiple colors of paint. In as little as an hour, you'll be able to say good-bye to your old mirror and hello to a pretty new one!

Related Furniture Painting Article: Layering Chalk Paint® on Furniture

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Green Painted Furniture Ideas

Would you paint your furniture green? Take a peak at these AMAZING green painted furniture ideas. From painting upholstery with chalk paint® to refinishing furniture in green milk paint, we're showing you FOUR of our best furniture makeovers painted in green!

Top of the morning you 'all! Happy St. Patricks Day to you! We LOVE the color GREEN! From painting upholstery and fabric to painting wood, we've done it all. In celebration of this day, we'd like to roll back the clock and share some of our FAVORITE Green Painted Furniture transformations with you!

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The Olivia Mirror: Reverse Distressing

Sometimes you get lucky enough to find the same piece twice. Which is fantastic because it always solves the question of, "Um, I wonder what it would look like in this color...". You're with me, right!?

Several months ago, I purchased this mirror and created an aged gold patina. If you missed that mirror makeover, you can find it here:

Finding this exact mirror a second time was a treat! I was curious to see what this gal could do with some turquoise patina. Perfect, because now I'm going to get my second chance! To get a rich patina, I chose Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan in Florence. This color all by itself offers a really bold flare. It's also one of my favorite colors for layering.

Since this mirror already had an original brassy bronze hue to her, I opted for a reverse distressing technique. Reverse distressing means your distressing while you're painting without actually using sand paper or wiping of paint. It's more of a painting technique. You don't paint for full coverage but rather you paint with push strokes so that the natural tone shows through the paint and looks as if it's already been distressed.

Once my paint had dried, I selectively covered her in targeted areas with Dark Wax.

The combination of her original color, Chalk Paint® in Florence and the dark wax gave her a stunning combination of colors that were to die for. Here's Ms. Olivia in all her turquoise patina glory.

Do you see how the original brassy finish came through? Those areas weren't painted, that's what we call reverse distressing.

Here's to second chances!

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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The Sanchez Mirror: Aging With Dark Wax

Gold has snuck its revolving way back into fashion. Gold bangles. Gold lamps. Gold organizers. Gold hardware. If you've opened a magazine in the last year you know what I'm talking about...

Image via Style Me Pretty

Image via Lauren Nelson

Image Unknown

Image via The Every Girl

Image via Style Me Pretty

Image via HGTV

If you've ever shopped for gold vintage mirrors you know how expensive they can be. Don't spend your hard pennies on the high price tag... go diy and create your own!

There are lots of gold toned spray paints out on the market. Some have more of a yellow undertone, some are more brassy. Use your favorite brand or whatever your preferred gold tone is.  If you want an aged frame to replicate a really old vintage frame, use dark furniture wax on top of your paint.

We took this lovely mirror purchased from a thrift store. It had a nice size and the shape had some lovely details. But the color was... eh.

The frame received a little bath in Rust-Oleum American Accents Bright Metallics Gold.

And when we were done, it looked like this. A mirror just sprayed painted gold. No dimension. No depth. No character. Chintzy, right?

Watch what happens to Mr. Chintzy when I add lots of fabulous Annie Sloan Dark Wax to it.

So much better...

Now, no more paying for expensive vintage. Go make your own.

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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The Jennison Mirror

A quick mirror makeover on the blog today. Would you have passed over on this?

I almost did. 

Then, I picked up my paint brush and did this with it. 

Products used: Provence Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan & Dark Wax. 

Yep, that's better. :)

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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The Dahlquist Mirror

Here's a quick and easy mirror makeover on the blog today! I love mirrors. They give our living spaces the illusion that they are bigger. They add light. And they give an easy way to add interest to a space.

This particular wood mirror was large in size and had fabulous 5.5" molding all around... it was just a little plain. An easy fix! I'm such a sucker for stripes. In two hours, this boring wood mirror went from this...

To this...

The Details: 

I painted the entire frame in two coats of Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan in Old White. While the paint was drying,  I determined how wide I wanted my stripes and made a few paper calculations. Then, it was a tedious process of taping off the frame with my measurements. The stripes were painted in a custom color mixing 1 part Coco with 1 part Graphite and then protected it with ASCP Clear Wax. 

If you don't have a mirror in your space, get one! If you don't like the way it looks, paint it! :)

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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The Flintock Mirror

A quick project and a quick post for today! Have I told you how much I love mirror projects? I do. Mirrors take very little time to transform and often times have such a nice wow factor. This blonde wood mirror had all sorts of fun details, nooks and crannies. I honestly couldn’t wait to get my dark wax all over her.

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The Radke Mirrors

Another mirror post?! I know. I'm sorry. I've found a lot of them lately and I just can't help myself. They make me happy. :)

I advertised an emerald green mirror in our shop and within 24 hours there were several people taking a number to purchase it. So when a customer contacted me and learned that it had been spoken for, I offered her these instead. If you look beyond the color, you’ll notice all kinds of fabulous curves and details. And in an emerald green, they would look spectacular!

After two coats of Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan in Antibes and Dark Wax, I think they look smashing...

I have to admit, I’m a little bit green with envy.  I wish I had a spot for them in my own home. Until they get picked up, you’ll find me here. Sitting on the carpet. Drooling.

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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The Jackson Mirror

This mirror is massive coming in at 54” tall and 31.25” wide. It had really simple lines and I swear as it came off our truck I could hear it scream, “Paint me bold.” I never argue with a talking mirror.

I love Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan in Antibes Green. But, I wanted a little bit more of an emerald tone so I mixed 1 part Florence with 1 part Antibes together. Out came this rich green that paired with a dark wax gave it it’s bold color. It turned out really beautiful.. Here it is in all it’s 54” parts. :)

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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The Laura Lee Mirror

This mirror came with a dresser (which is still in the holding tank). I wanted a soft and neutral color for Ms. Laura Lee.

I decided on Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan in French Linen with medium distressing and finished her off in with a clear wax.

The lighter grey really allows you to see all of the details. Before, they were just covered up in the vintage brown stain.

Carrie || Thirty Eighth Street

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