Seven Creative Uses for Chalk

I know Thursdays are supposed to be devoted to teatime, but I’ve had to postpone social activities temporarily. What with all the time spent in the garden, some inside chores have “gone begging,” including pressing clothes and the dreaded ironing of cottons.

Credit: commons.wikimedia

Today I’m getting caught up inside and might even have time to iron the tea towels in preparation for our next tea gathering. I’m thinking we should have a late afternoon/early evening event in the gazebo, where I’ll show you my new LED string lights strung around the gazebo's perimeter. Quite lovely if I do say so myself!

Credit: lamplust.com

Meanwhile, I want to talk about chalk. Yep, the kind you used on the blackboard and on sidewalks when you were a kid.

I’ve been searching for chalk in the paper/school supplies sections of various stores. I had begun to think they don’t make the stuff any more, and realized yesterday I’ve been looking in the wrong department. It’s to be found in the Toy Department, and it caught my eye in Walmart because it was included in a center isle display highlighting summertime activities for children.

You may wonder why I need chalk? It seems I’m going through a DIY creative phase (thanks to Pinterest!) and I have a clay flowerpot project in mind which requires chalk. But that’s another post – when (if) I get around to it!

Robert Browning via poetryfoundation.org

I’m sometimes reminded of these words of Robert Browning:

 “Ah, but a man's (or woman’s) reach should exceed his grasp,”

 (from Men and Women and Other Poems),

 each time I go off on a tangent with some new project.

I bought the chalk, which includes several colors, although I only wanted white. So now I have all this chalk and what else to do with it -- other than my flowerpot project.

So here I give you what I've learned about some other ways chalk is useful around the house; definitely going to try these:

Removes Stains

Rub chalk on nasty grease stains on your clothing and the chalk will absorb the oil. Sometimes you have to rub it on more than once for the stain to be removed. The dust helps absorb the oils, making the stain easier to clean.

Stops Tarnish

Wrap chalk in cheesecloth and store with silverware or jewelry to absorb excess moisture, which causes tarnishing.

Steady a Screwdriver

Rub chalk over the handle of a non-rubber screwdriver to prevent slipping.

Keeps Ants Away

If ants are trotting into your house, draw chalk lines around their entry points. Many chalks contain calcium carbonate, which repels ants.

Hides Cracks

Cover hairline cracks and watermarks on walls and ceilings as a temporary fix until you’re ready to paint.

Prevents Rusting

Put a few pieces of chalk in your toolbox and it will get rid of moisture, preventing your tools from rusting.

Create Texture in Art Projects

Place thin paper over a unique texture. Rub paper with chalk so that the texture of the object appears. (This may be of interest to Darla at her Bay Side to Mountain Side blog, since she is very involved in numerous art projects.

So.....now if I don't get around to my chalk flowerpot project I have other ways to use my chalk stash.

Wow, who knew?