DIY Chalkboard Plant Markers

A combination of writing this post about my recycled milk bottle markers and using these lovely cute chalkboard markers at Occombe made me think that I did need a new system of markers. Not for my seedlings, they are fine, but I've been thinking for a while now that I need to bring more quirky, cute, decorative stuff onto the balcony. If only to be redeemed for the style sin of using plastic 'terracotta style' tubs.

Chive marker with added Totoro

But I'm not convinced that I need to pay through the nose for lovely plant markers. I've seen gorgeous ones in the lovely quirky shops of Totnes. Only they were more than I can to afford and they weren't quite in the right shade of blue. The only way I was going to get my cute quirky markers was to do it my way.

So I bought a couple off bags of midsize markers, some blue paint and some chalkboard paint. It all came to less then £10. So far I've made 20 of the markers and I've got plenty of leftover paint. I set down with a old banana bag and got to work. First I painted them 'harbour' blue. When you have a sea view nautical themes creep in to everything. Add a couple of coats of chalkboard and we're done. Cool.

The mess that is my living room floor

When I was marking them up I decided to get a bit more decorative. I got my smaller stamps out and found my Totoro stamp. I decided the perfect place for a Totoro was with the chives. You see last year I pulled up my shallots. They spent a couple of days drying out in the sun but then the rain came. They spent the rest of their time drying inside. Only I made a bit of a mistake. I put them next to our Totoro. A cute, tiny cuddly Totoro that lives inside. And the Totoro did what Totoros do best. One of our shallots came back to life with an impressive green spear that grew overnight. Not ideal. But if a Totoro can do that for shallots in the living room what can it do for chives in the ground?

A pebble marks the rocket

 
While I had the chalkboard paint out it was time to solve another identification problem. I needed something smaller, lower down to mark what I've just directly sowed. I had some beach pebbles lying around - like a small child I can't resist bringing them home - so I slapped on some of the paint. Now all I need to work on is my handwriting.