When Martha Stewart says it’s time to make something better, you listen up! The team at Martha Stewart Living sent me a little care package this month with a challenge to add a few new tricks and treats to my week, and I’ve been digging in to try them all out! The project at hand was a DIY chalkboard menu, and oddly enough, for a girl that has packed decoupage and glitter in her overnight bag before, I’ve never used chalkboard paint! It’s a DIY mystery how I’ve made it this far without chalkboard-ing something in my home so I was eager to try out these Martha Stewart Crafts products. IMG_2754IMG_2751 IMG_2752 IMG_2753IMG_2755To make the chalkboard, I started with a plain frame and painted the backing with the chalkboard paint. Once the paint was fully dry, I taped down stencils using Martha Stewart Crafts Stencil Tape and stenciled out my phrase with the erasable liquid chalk. This stuff is great because you don’t get that dusty, messy layer on the chalkboard that you do with regular chalk – which is key when you’re using this near food! Once it was dry I popped it back in the frame and was ready to entertain!

A few of the other new tricks and treats that Martha Stewart Living challenged me to try this month:

  • Makeover a classic grilled cheese! Enter your best grilled cheese recipe using Wisconsin Cheese for a chance to win $15,000 in The Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown® (um, you do not have to pay me to eat bread+cheese grilled in butter, I do that for free all the time, but the prize wouldn’t hurt!). My favorite grilled cheese will always be a classic yellow American with gooey cheese pull, but to makeover this dish I love a savory and sweet brie grilled cheese with a fig jam.
  • Update your make-up routine! I’m so terrible at this; I pretty much use the exact same make-up I did 5 years ago, and only challenge myself to use new beauty products when my sister slips me a sample of something she is using. So trying something new in my beauty routine is a big step for me, Martha Stewart Living sent me Maybelline SuperStay 24 hour 2-Step Lipcolor. I loved that it did double duty – both moisturizing and adding color.
  • Try healthier snacks! I mean this isn’t that hard for me, I love snacks, especially when they combine my favorite flavor profiles of sweet and salty. I tested Weight Watchers Salted Caramel Brownie Bliss®, and let’s just say I had a challenge not eating them all in one sitting! Guilt-free even if you snack on two!

Please note: This post was created in partnership with Martha Stewart Living. All opinions and images are my own.