AE Update | A New Home For The Advent Boxes
Some of you might remember these AdventBoxes I put together back in 2007 (inspired by a project I'd seen in Martha Stewart's Kids magazine).
For the last couple of weeks I've been working on a project (with a bunch of help from Chris) to paint the one long wall in our laundry room with both magnetic + chalkboard paint. I thought this would be a cool spot for this Advent calendar and a cool place for Anna (and Simon) to use chalk or play with other magnets (like this
Here's a couple before photos of our laundry room (it's right off the kitchen):
I stripped off the wallpaper border and then we got down to business of painting the magnetic paint first.
A couple of coats later we added a couple coats of chalkboard paint (they were just about the same color) and called it good.
To get the boxes to "stick" to the wall I used magnetic tape from Michael's. I used 2-4 strips per box. I put a couple strips on before I could tell that the adhesive on the magnetic strips needed a bit more reinforcement so I used red line tape to stick the tape to the back of the boxes.
So far they seem to be sticking ok. I'm not planning to put anything heavy inside the boxes and anticipate that they will get re-arranged and moved around throughout the month.
Now if I could just change up the floors...
She seemed to like it.
He definitely liked it.
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86 comments
so cool! I love the merry christmas you wrote in the midst of it.
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Very cool! Also like that shelf with hooks to the left of your (exterior?) door. Plenty of time for the floors ... never a shortage of projects for the home.
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The wall looks SO MUCH BETTER NOW! What a cooool thing for kids!! Great idea! I think I might have problems convincing my husband from this purpose for a wall... lol.
Love from Germany!
Anne
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What a great idea. I didn't realize they had magnetic paint. We've been talking about putting a thin sheet of metal with rounded corners in my boys' room, but I think this would work out so much better!
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always love those darn boxes... someday I will make some. :)
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I had no idea there was such a thing as magnetic paint, or that you could paint over it and not lose the magnetic nature of the paint. Love these tips! Thanks so much :)
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Love that wall Ali, what a good idea. The kids are going to have so much fun with it
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The wall looks awesome! I think this could be an inexpensive solution to your changing up your floor: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/08/before-after-orlandos-striped-floor.html
the boxes look like a 3D art installation!
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Great idea!!!!!!!!!
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love this! I did an advent frame as well when I saw yours, but alas - the fabric backing is coming off [I didn't secure quite so well]- I may neeed to replace the whole back with a board painted with magnet / chalkboard paint - my husband bought some on sale a few months ago! Wheee! Thanks so much for sharing - your wall is fantasitic btw [Wonder what one wall inour playroom would look like black?- J
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Ali....I have a chalkboard wall and recommend ***Chalk Ink*** (chalkink.com). You will love them and their vibrant colors. It's the chalk Starbucks uses for their chalkboard signs (I asked them...and they pointed me to Chalk Ink).
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Wow Ali, You are such a resourceful person, it is so simple and it looks great; added bonus - the kids love it! Awesome! Looking forward to unpack boxes after a weekend of moving to begin my December Daily and finish up some Christmas Crafts for my niece & nephew too.
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I forgot to put in my morning comment how excited I am to start my DD tomorrow. I haven't slept the last two nights. Keep thinking about it and how it will look when finished. I send texts to both my sisters this morning reminding them of what tomorrow is. Thank you so much again for all you do and how you inspire us. I can't wait till tomorrow, enjoy your first day of the month too.
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Ali...this is such a great idea! I love your creativity!
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That black works great in your hallway with the wooden door.
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What an awesome idea! Love it!
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Hey Ali, I love this idea! When we moved in to our new house a few months ago, we painted one of the walls in our son's playroom in chalkboard paint. He loves drawing on the wall and it is so great for fine motor (my son has hypotonia and is also on the autism spectrum).
I also did your advent box project and just put a picture up on my blog - I love how it turned out! Thanks so much for the great inspiration =0)
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Love it! Now I'm searching my house for the appropriate wall to paint in just such a way! :)
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I finally got around to making my advent boxes this year after falling in love with yours in 2007. I used thumbtacks, as you said you did that first year, and it has worked out find. Surprising how well they stay up. It is on a wall where a large frame goes, so the holes in the wall from the thumbtacks will be covered up after I take down the advent boxes. I ended up buying a white frame at Hobby Lobby and framed in the grouping of boxes. Love how it looks. For kids the ages of yours, I think the magnet/chalkboard wall is brilliant! My advent boxes are for my grandson who is 9. I posted a picture of them on my blog at terriporter.typepad.com.
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Love this idea, I saw it on DIY network this weekend and thought to myself how cool- I would love to do it in my house!! Now I just have to find a wall....
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