I haven’t found a reason to indulge in an I-pad yet.. for now I’m happy with my tablet as per our grandparents at their wooden desks in front of a coal fire at school..

The chalk board.

The blackboard/chalkboard wall is nothing new and can be seen in any nook, corner or vast space as seen below. Chalkboard paint is pretty readily available too, a couple of coats and you’ve got your feature and very functional wall.

In my house I painted the wall beneath the staircase, and we use it as a calendar, message board, picture wall, guest wall.

Chalkboard stair wall

An old Bangor Blue Slate from an outhouse on our family farm makes for a great kitchen shopping list and menu plan so my husband knows what to cook! ahem.

Slate memo

The same slates make a very nice table runner and heat mats, and I personalise them for the occasion, our lovely friends were round the other night, for no particular occasion..

Slate table runner/ mats

Here is a similar idea I found on my recent obsession with Pinterest, as introduced by Lucy here..

1.placemat

Other novel ideas with chalkboard paint..

2. blackboard furniture!

3. backboard door

4. more walls

5. entire room

6.walls and cupboards

Go paint!

1. by milkbottles 2. by thisnext  3 and 4. by Style Files.  5 and 6. by London Lisbonite