You may remember when we created our Summer calendar and bucket list . The boys really responded well to being able to see what was coming up on the calendar. And I enjoyed not having to pull up my Google Calendar on the computer whenever I was put on the spot for a play date. So, continuing to use a calendar in the kitchen was a no brainer. But, creating new calendars on poster board each month — although fun — seemed a bit tedious.

In a sheer stroke of genius suggested by Pretty Handsome Guy  I decided to paint a chalkboard calendar on our fridge:

Project Materials:

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• 3M 220 grit sandpaper *
• Sanding block
• Sponge or wet rag
• TSP cleaner
• BIN primer/sealer
• ScotchBlue multi-surface painter’s tape
• 1.5″ Paint brush
• Matte medium (optional to seal edges)
• Tape measure (and calculator if you need help figuring out your grids)
• X-acto knife
• Small square artist’s paint brush
• Chalkboard paint (Learn how to make your own colored chalkboard paint )
• Pencil
• Chalk
• Dry rag
• Chalk markers
• Double stick foam tape
• Corner edge molding cut to the width of your calendar

Required Safety Gear:

• 3M Tekk Safety Glasses *
• 3M Tekk Gloves *
• 3M Cool Valve Mask *

Prepping the surface:

Let me tell you, this project is an easy one, but you really need to make sure you do the proper prep work and wear good safety gear to produce a calendar that will stick around for years (and allow you to stick around as well.).

Side note:One thing I didn’t mention in my Girl Behind the Blog post , was that I used to work for a large cancer center in Philadelphia. While working there I saw slides and photos of all types of cancer tumors and witnessed the devastation that cancer can cause to a person and their families. For that reason, I’m really careful about wearing protective safety gear when working with chemicals and airborne particles. So — do me a favor — stick around a long time for me and wear safety gear when working on a project. And now back to the tutorial ;-).

Clean off the side of your fridge with the TSP cleaner. Follow the directions closely on the packaging and be sure to wear safety glasses, a mask, and gloves to protect your hands.

Lightly sand the sides of your fridge using the 220 grit sandpaper. You just want to rough it up a little to help the primer and paint stick. Keep your mask on while sanding.

Wipe off the fridge surface with a clean damp sponge or rag.

Pre-cut grid lines:

To create 1/4″ thin lines between the calendar days, pre-cut strips of painter’s tape with an x-acto knife and a ruler on a cutting surface.

Design the calendar grid on the fridge by measuring out your calendar and mark small tick marks with a pencil. (Each day on my calendar was a 3.5″ square.)

Watch this short video to see how I painted the chalkboard calendar.

Remove all the painter’s tape while the paint is still slightly wet.

After removing the tape, clean up any seepage by scraping with the x-acto knife and/or use a small flat brush dipped in the primer to clean up the edge.

Install the chalk ledge:

Peel and stick the double-sided foam tape onto the back of the edge molding.

Level the molding and stick it onto the side of the fridge to hold the chalk.

Rub the side of a piece of chalk over the entire calendar and chalkboard surfaces to season the chalkboard. Wipe off the chalk with a dryrag.

Fill in the months and days on your calendar. And add your schedule to your new calendar!

I used chalk markers to write the days of the week and numbers.  I used regular chalk for a fun textured shadow around the month letters.

It is really great for the kids and I to see what is coming up on the calendar.

I can use the top spot to make my grocery list. And I don’t have to transfer it to paper, I just take a picture of the list with my phone! Easy, right?!

And because the calendar is also magnetic, we can stick receipts or important papers to it as well.

I could also use the top spot for important reminders if I want. I love the flexibility.

The colored chalkboard paint barely had enough time to dry before these two little artists were adding their masterpiece to the bottom section.

I love the sight of childrens’ artwork, don’t you?!

Just an explanation for you: my son’s stuffed caterpillar is named Pills. I have no idea, but it makes for some interesting conversation in our home:

“He loves his pills.”

“He can’t sleep without his pills.”

“He really needs his pills when he wakes up.”

See what I mean.

Disclosure: This post is a sponsored post paid for by 3M DIY. I was not told what to write or what project to create. The ideas and tutorials are my own.