It’s weird, a couple of weeks, before I had even thought about returning to blogging, I got an e-mail from Chalkola asking if I would like to try their Chalk Markers. Well, what’s a girl to do, especially as this girl used to trail similar markers to add a certain je ne sais pas to school displays boards years ago when I went to work and I was curious to see what was new, and keen to experiment.
I was sent 2 packs of bullet tip pens one with 5.5mm nibs in 8 Earthy Colours https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chalk-Pens-Whiteboard-Chalkboard-Blackboard/dp/B01E17WAQO and the other a pack of 10 – 3mm nibs in Party Colours https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01D5892F2.
The instructions for using the chalk markers for the very first time are clear and very easy to follow.
It would have been easy to just get out some black card and make a few simple tags for the first trail, but I decided to think outside the box and took the blue and purple markers from the Party Colour pack to fiddle fart on a pressed glass bon bon dish I found in an Evesham charity shop for £1.50.
All I did was simply follow the pattern on the reverse side of the dish and on the bottom of the stand.
I was really pleased with the result, I know it’s no great shakes on the creative front, but because the ink/chalk is not permanent, and washes off easily, I can chop and change the colours and add my own twiddly bits to match a room, theme etc. as the mood takes me, but always knowing that in the end I can revert back to the plain dish. Also, because I don’t have a great deal of storage I can just have a few versatile bowls or vases that I can paint over and over again for various occasions throughout the year Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc. 
I then thought I would try the sage green marker, also from the Earthy Colours to “paint” some mistletoe. on a clear glass bauble, and what I really love is that if you make a mistake you simply wipe it off and start again.
The chalk ink in the pens flows beautifully and despite my shaky hands, for a first experiment, it turned out pretty well. When the ink was dry, I added a few tiny weeny flat backed pearls for the berries.
I’ll be honest, I am not sure how durable the ink will be, it is definitely liable to scratch, but with gentle care and careful storage, I see no reason why the bauble couldn’t be used for a few years to come.
I think there is still much to explore and try with these pens, one, I want to see how Iris get’s on with them, I want to try them on wood and see what would happen if I used chalk paint finishing wax over the ink on wooden projects, so for these reasons, I will be keeping the pens on my desk for inspiration, so it’s a case of watch this space over the coming weeks and months as I find different materials and projects to work with them on.
To read find out more:- Chalk Markers https://www.chalkola.com
If you would like to try these pens for yourself there is a 20% flat discount on all Chalkola Products on Amazon.
Coupon Code - 20OFFSTR
And now for a bit more blurb….. what you can and can’t use the Chalkola markers on……. The markers can be used on non porous surfaces only, so it’s best to test a small area first before using them - they work best on chalkboards, whiteboards, glass, plastic and windows.
They do not work so well on porous surfaces because these surfaces tend to have small holes that can absorb the liquid chalk ink, which in turn means that it may be difficult to completely remove them when used.
The markers can be used on also be used chalkboard paint, however a lot of people have found it it is difficult to remove the chalk as the paint tends to make the surface porous and thus absorbs chalk ink.
Chalk markers as a medium, use high density chalk ink, so when using new pen for the first time it takes about 2 to 3 minutes to prime before using – once used the ink flows smoothly.