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I meant to share this earlier this month so you could use it all throughout the holiday.  But I forgot about it!  I blame it on Christmas overload.  The great news is this Rustic Chalkboard Countdown can be used all year!

Grab some unfinished birch and chalkboard paint from Michaels.

Carefully paint one side of the wood.  I used a small brush to paint the edges and then filled in the middle.  Allow to dry.  Add another coat of paint if necessary.

To add the ribbon, I busted out my staple gun.

I find that stapling the ribbon to the back of the wood is the best way to adhere the ribbon.  If you use glue, you run the risk of it falling off and crashing to the ground.

Simply flip over, chalkboard side down.  Staple two 18 inch pieces of ribbon to the back of the wood.  I stapled in two different spots to ensure it held.

You can write on it with chalk!  It erases easily and can be changed for any occasion!  Mine is ready for the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve!

Here is the Christmas version that I forgot to post.  Oops!

 or birthdays, vacation…you get the idea.

Check out more of our Christmas Ideas HERE!