THE 'NOSTALGIC' CHALKBOARDS

This is the most popular range of colours and pictures which I sell at craft fairs and as special orders.
 The standard boards measure 37 x 66 cm  (14.5 x 26 inches)
The frames are solid painted pine - see bottom of this page if you are interested in how I make them



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Chicken on the Nest

This is a popular kitchen board in 'Shabby Green'







Cost £30 + p&p

........................................................
Robertson's Golden Shred

A famous and well loved advertisement  from the 1950's
This one is in 'Shabby Pink'






Cost £30 + p&p

Cerebos Table Salt

A large overlapping packet of Cerebos Salt which looks exceptionally good with a
'Shabby dark Blue'  frame






Cost £30 + p&p
Pascall Fruit Bonbons

The 'Shabby Green' board has a 4oz tin of these popular fruit sweets and two bottles of  'Camp Coffee' a First World War favourite. 

The board can, of course, have either or both of the pictures



Cost £30 + p&p

HP and Mustard
In a 'Shabby Light Blue' a very popular colour choice, this one features an old fashioned Colman's Mustard container and two bottles of HP sauce






Cost £30 + p&p
1940's Provisions

This is the best seller of all my boards and also my favourite
as I remember all the products
from my youth.
This one is in a
'Shabby Pale Green' frame





Cost £30 + p&p

Chicken on the Nest (again)

This time on very smart
'Shabby' Brown'
with lots of white showing through.

The chicken boards always sell out at craft fairs - it seems thay are the favourite kitchen picture



Cost £30 + p&p
A Commissioned piece

My customer wanted a hand painted blackboard to announce the wines she served to guests at home and this was larger than the standard board.
The finished product looked splendid and delighted my customer.


Signwritten and picture painted commissioned boards of the standard size start at £50 + postage

HOW I MAKE THE BOARDS

Each board is hand-made in my workshop from solid shaped pine.  Where possible I try to ensure that the timber I use comes from sustainable sources. The black board is made of sturdy mdf board and is slotted completely into the frame unlike less well made versions which are simply stapled into a picture-type frame. Mine are made to last for many years and even improve with age. Each board has a chalk holder cut from a section of the framing and fixed at the centre of the bottom part of the frame

The blackboard receives a primer coat and then a base coat and finally two or three coats of high quality blackboard paint. This ensures a durable long-lasting surface. I do not use cheaper laminates which become shiny and unusable very quickly. My boards have that slightly rougher surface which allows the chalk to adhere perfectly and they wipe clean with just a damp cloth.

The frames are also primed and then given a white, light coloured or sometimes textured undercoat.  Finally a top coat of the chosen colour is applied and then hand brushed and wiped to give the distinctive 'Shabby' look of old worn wood which is so attractive and enormously popular.  The colours tend towards the softer pastel shades of old paint but as you can see above most colours are possible. The photographs cannot do real justice to the colours but the faded look is well illustrated.

The top part of the board reflects the frame colour and features a 'picture from the past'.  The range of illustrations which can be applied is very wide.   They recreate the advertisements and other scenes of yester-year. If you wish to see the whole range please click below where you can see the Gallery of those I can supply.  The most popular boards are shown above but any picture with any colour (that's hundreds of variations) can be supplied.

Finally the picture is given two coats of 'invisible varnish' as added protection and the board is ready for delivery or collection.  At most times it will take about two weeks for an order to be completed.

If you want a board of any size or shape, signwritten or with a particular design or picture (house names are popular) please make your selection from The Gallery (click below) and then go to my contact page (click below)  where you can let me know what you require and I can tell you how much it will cost  ....... only PLEASE don't ask for a handmade board with a special design as a gift for a loved one 'in a couple of days' - Even I can't work that fast!

Thank you for taking the time to read this - I would be delighted to hear from you

Jonathan
Take me to your contact page                               Take me to The Gallery                                     Take me back where I started




SHABBY CHIC  STAND AT CRAFT FAIRS
Click here for dates and locations of CRAFT FAIRS where
SHABBY CHIC will be on show