Confessions of a Chalk Lover

I have an OVERSIZED chalkboard in my kitchen. When I purchased this piece from Pottery Barn (one of my favorite stores), my lovely husband was kind enough to help me hang it on the wall.

Once it was up, all he said was.. "Tell me again why you bought a chalkboard?"

His words made me grin from ear to ear, and chuckle softly to myself. My reply was... "Well, it is great message center, to keep the refrigerator from looking cluttered."

That answer sounded logical, and he seemed to buy into this explanation. But the real truth of the matter was that it was a fun, funky piece of decor, where I could spontaneously make art, tack up an inspirational quote or two, and then have the option of doing something entirely different the very next day. A place where I could express my inner child... so to speak.

This chalkboard has seen A LOT of use over the last three years. I have welcomed guests, celebrated holidays and birthdays with heartfelt messages, posted pictures of family, friends, and pets, doodled pretty pictures, and jotted down many a quote and/or word of the day.

My sister even broke down and purchased the very same board for her own kitchen after my two teenage nieces came to visit and enjoyed playing with the chalk.

Although I contribute almost %99 of the content, everyone, who comes in contact with this piece of thin slate, seems to enjoy the weekly or sometimes daily information scribbled onto the black void.

Last year, I even started an art experiment, by snapping one photograph a day of the chalkboard, as sort of a record of our lives. Unfortunately, this project was short lived with only a little over a month's worth of images. However, I have been thinking about giving this idea another try.

I have come to realize that this "message center" has really been an outlet for me, a place I could share my feelings, in good and bad times, without having to verbally speak my mind. Who knew I would grow up to be a bonafide chalk lover!