Chalk this one up, My First Martha

Martha Stewart has a great recipe for chalkboard paint.

Custom Colors How-ToStart with flat-finish latex paint in any shade. For small
areas, such as a door panel, mix 1 cup at a time.
1. Pour 1 cup of paint
into a container. Add 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout. Mix with a paint
stirrer, carefully breaking up clumps.
2. Apply paint with a roller or a
sponge paintbrush to a primed or painted surface. Work in small sections, going
over the same spot several times to ensure full, even coverage. Let dry.
3.
Smooth area with 150-grit sandpaper, and wipe off dust.
4. To condition: Rub
the side of a piece of chalk over entire surface. Wipe away residue with a
barely damp sponge.
Easy right? Or you could just buy the silly chalkboard
paint...this just gives you color options-and small batch potential.

When we lived in our 1929 Mock Tutor in Seattle we used the Restore to buy our vintage school chalkboard. It was gen-U-ine slate from the 30's- I think. We actually cut the gigantic slate board in our driveway with a diamond blade saw and a running water hose. Scott made a white mdf frame for it and we installed it in our kitchen. We were DIY before DIY was cool, baby! The pic on the top is my friend Ginny and my daughter when she was 10 or 11 mos old posing in front of the now famous chalk board. Round as a pound, she was, round as a pound!