Cheeky Cheapie Chalk Marker DIY Hack

OK, so first up, I'm not going to show you how to make a chalk marker — this is more of a simple and effective hack and a way to play with chalk, but in a less powdery, less smudgy and temporary way — no empty plastic chalk pen to throw into landfill either!

When I was in primary school, I had a teacher who would dip chalk into a cup of sugary water and then draw beautifully spaced lines on the classroom blackboard (tell me you remember metre rulers and classroom blackboards!). And, if memory serves, there were other things too, in various colours — red, yellow, green, white, pink. The thing was — the colours were way brighter than usual, and the lines, words and pictures drawn on the board stayed there looking perfectly crispy.... for an entire term!

So, I recently did some investigating and found I was not the only person in the world who knew about sugar-soaked chalk. And now, I feel, it it my turn to share it. Ready?

Here's what you do

1. Find coloured chalk, a bowl, about a quarter of a cup of sugar and about a cup of water.

2. Dissolve the sugar in the water.

3. Put the chalk in the water and leave it for around 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it — if it begins to look like it's dissolving, pull it out early.

4. Remove the chalk and dry it on a rack or paper towel for around 24 hours. I often can't wait that long, but I think it's worth it.

5. Use the chalk on a lovely smooth old-skool blackboard or black paper. It's gorgeous!