There’s something special about stationery, and in particular I love pens.  N has inherited this love because any new pens that I bring into the house, and he’s nosying trying to use them.  With the Chalkola chalk pens I was sent to review, I knew I’d struggle to keep him away.

Review of Chalkola pens, liquid chalk markers for non-porous surfaces, great for upcycling or crafts - Bubbablue and me

Chalkola are fairly chunky chalk markers which have ink that looks like chalk. They can be used on any non-porous material, including glass, metal, porcelain and more.  The variety of colours is great –brights, pretty pastels and more earthy tones packs like I was sent.  The packs we were sent were the pack of 8 earthy tones and the pack of 10 premium neon liquid chalk pens.

Chalkola chalk pens

I was a little worried at wondering what we could draw on.  The OH would go nuts if he saw windows being drawn on (‘it’s encouraging children to draw on them with anything’) so I dug out some white egg cups so we could get arty.

Before we started we had to prep the pens. You only need to do it once to get the ink flowing – just shake, shake, shake for around 30 seconds, then press the nibs down several times until the ink comes out.  Once you’ve done that the pens are easy to use – there’s no need to press down on them, whether on the pen itself or the nib.  So they’re really easy to use for children as well as adults.

The bonus with them is that they’re wipe clean, just with baby wipes or similar.  We found the best way was to wipe until the surface was clean with a couple of wipes (or several more given the amount of drawing we did), then dry off with kitchen towel before starting again.

creative with chalkola chalk pens

The egg cups are really cute but small so I wondered how N would find them with chunky pens. But he had no problem. Being a boy, he started daintily, then went for the scribbling lots of colour option.  Including a lot of ink inside which was probably never going to dry!  He didn’t get too much on his fingers, but it easily wiped off again.  The egg cups dried pretty quickly.  I went for a small flower design which looks lovely, and the only sign that it’s not printed on is the slight bumpiness of the colour.  Obviously as they’re not water tight, washing will remove the design, but it does mean that while we’re waiting for eggs to boil we could redesign each time!

We also got out N’s blackboard table before we sold it (I’m thinking we’re not going to be able to now).  I was planning to go mad doodling all over it and we spent a really nice afternoon doing exactly that.  Doodling, drawing pictures, writing names in different fonts, a bit of graffiti style, following up with a few games of noughts and crosses (which N has now become obsessed with.  I even suggested he could practice his spellings with them which went down well – although he then got distracted and didn’t complete them!

chalkboard doodling with chalk markers

noughts and crosses on chalkboard

neon bubble writing with chalkola

doodling and pictures with chalkola

The pens are a really nice feel. They’re comfortable to use, the ink flows well without clumping and you can control the flow by making thicker lines if you press slightly harder down. I did find that N’s pictures took more effort to remove than mine – I think because he was pressing down harder compared to me. But they did come off with a bit of pressure.

The colours are great – we had some pastel colours, some neon and the earthier tones pack.  Perfect for more muted toned designs or bright and breezy for the kids.

chalkola art work

I’m now planning on looking out other surfaces that might work – tiles to make coasters could be next on the list.  And with those, once dry, you can varnish a top layer to make them water tight.

If you want to try them out you can buy Chalkola at Amazon (*affiliate link)

I’m also running a giveaway to win one pack of Chalkola pens.  Just answer the question – what is your favourite art or craft activity to do and why in the comments below (no need to fill in the url box), complete the rafflecopter widget and any of the bonus entry options if wanted.  Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions

1 UK entry only
2. Giveaway closes 11.59pm  5th March 2017
3. Entries will be validated according to the rules of entry
4. There is 1 prize of a pack of 21 Chalkola markers
5. The data of anyone that enters won’t be passed on to any third parties or used for any unsolicited marketing communications.
6. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook or any other social media.
7. Winner will be randomly chosen, and will be shown on this post, with further notifications  may be shared on social media.
8. Winner will be notified via email, and will need to respond with their postal address within 3 weeks otherwise a further winner will be drawn.
9. Prize will be sent out within 30 days of receiving postal details via the supplier.
10. This giveaway may be featured on Loquax, Prizefinder and Superlucky

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Disclosure: We were sent some Chalkola pens for the purpose of review. All words and opinions are our own.

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234 Comments

  1. Leanne Bell

    We love to paint pictures and also decorate items such as stones x

  2. Kirsteen Mackay

    I love drawing or making papier mache

  3. Diane Duggan

    I love knitting because its very relaxing.

  4. Alicia Fenton

    I love to colour as it helps with my anxiety and depression and is relaxing distraction

  5. Adrian Bold

    I like colouring. For some reason I find it very relaxing.

  6. jackie rushton

    Knitting because I love making useful items for my family!

  7. Andrea Lloyd

    Making greeting’s cards for special occasions with the children

  8. Fiona jk42

    I would like to try needle felting as a way to use the fur from my long-haired cat. My husband brushes her every night and gets handfuls of fur, it would be nice to make something from it as it’s incredibly soft.

  9. Rachael Ashmore

    Colouring and drawing with my children ⚡

  10. Jayne Townson

    I really enjoy card making, as I think people enjoy receiving a homemade card.

  11. Christine Hobbs

    I enjoy sketching and have just started using charcoal which is also fun and relaxing

  12. Matt Brasier

    I like colouring, it is very relaxing .

  13. Sam McKean

    I love knitting as it’s relaxing and portable

  14. Jamie C Millard

    painting, drawing and other types of art. great to use your imagination

  15. sharon martin

    i like colouring as i find it very relaxing

  16. natalee gosiewski

    drawing colouring and painting with kids

  17. Claire Mchugh

    I love doing junk modelling with my son, he has such imagination and enthusiasm!

  18. Victoria Prince

    I’d love to try crochet 🙂 because I have a few friends that do it and I have really admired some of the things they’ve made and would love to be able to do so myself!

  19. Victoria Allum

    I like card making because it means more when you give a hand made card rather than a shop bought one. It is also something you can involve the kids with.

  20. Cara Bemrose-williams

    I love patchwork- it’s a never ending project

  21. Christel Dance

    At present my boys love stencilling. It seems to really improve their writing, number recognition etc too.

  22. Knitting – it is so relaxing. I can sit in front of the TV and knit for hours after a hard day’s work

  23. hayley pemberton

    I love scrapbooking. So i can make my photos look more interesting

  24. Danielle Graves

    I love a lot of different crafts but especially painting

  25. Clare Hubbard

    My sons love making a mark with paint, the messier the better!

  26. Nicki Ramsay

    I like needle felting because it’s something I can do sitting in front of the telly and is quite therapeutic as long as I don’t stab myself with the barbed needle. I love how a piece of wool can become something quite different just by sculpting it with a needle.

  27. Allan Wilson

    I like to get the paints out, it whiles away many hours.

  28. Charlotte Hoskins

    I love doing card making with my daughter, think it’s lovely to give someone a card which has been made with love <3

  29. Heather Haigh

    I like lots of crafts, depending on what mood I’m in and how much time I have. I’m enjoying knitting most at the moment as I’m just exploring circular knitting.

  30. paula cheadle

    I love to do baking, but I try to make things up out of ingredients that I have

  31. I like paper crafts, but am thinking of learning to crochet. My kids spend hours drawing and colouring.

  32. Sam Parkes

    Painting and making things. My daughter loves the craft making kits.

  33. Sewing as it’s fun having clothing or curtains unique to me

  34. Jessica Hutton

    Coloring in. It’s very relaxing xx

  35. Michelle Wild

    Knitting on huge needles as it grows very quickly.

  36. Nicola O'Brien

    Cross-stitching – I find it relaxing.

  37. rebecca beesley

    I’d love to learn how to knit or crochet like my mum used to do. Kids love anything to do with gluing or painting!

  38. Lauren Stebbings

    We love all things messy when it comes to crafts! The more fun the better!

  39. Dale Dow

    I’m currently making button family frames which I’m enjoying!

  40. Jill Fairbanks

    We like to make cards for family and put lots of lovely glittery things on it

  41. Angela Kelly

    I like to cross-stitch, it keeps my hands occupied whilst watching tv!

  42. lucinda duxbury

    i like paint a pot, it is so personal and lasts forever 🙂 i do like the idea of these pens though, having the chance to have a new design each time is great

  43. I enjoy drawing and painting 🙂
    trying to learn to knit at the moment

  44. Sarah Wilson

    We love doing a bit of everything! We make cards, models, all sorts!

  45. Joanna Ford

    I like doodle stitching as you can stitch whatever you feel!

  46. jackie curran

    I like colouring, it is very relaxing .

  47. We like ripping and gluing which I guess is a child’s form of decoupage.

  48. Rebecca Powell

    My son loves to make tissue paper pictures

  49. Jade Hewlett

    I like making cards as its fun to make them personal to each recipient

  50. Carly Belsey

    We love collecting shells from the beach and sticking them on card to make a picture. It gets the kids out in the fresh air and gets them being creative

  51. holly harmsworth

    I enjoy all sorts of arts and crafts but my latest favourite is wood burning because you can make such pretty things

  52. Kelly Goodall

    Cross stitch . It passes time and you have a lovely picture at the end

  53. Laura Whittle

    I like baking birthday cakes for my girls. I’m not great at it but they love them! Love seeing their surprised faces x

  54. Anthea Holloway

    I am a knitter and always have some knitting on the go!

  55. Rebecca Howells (@PeanutHog)

    Mindfulness colouring – it relaxes the mind.

  56. Andrew Hindley

    Card making it’s relaxing and gets the kids involved

  57. Samantha Walker

    My children generally like to paint or make figures from playdoh

  58. Jennifer

    Papercrafts and jewellery, so using these would be a nice change!

  59. JULIE WARD

    I’m not at all crafty I would give this to grandson to take home

  60. ELZBIETA ZNYK

    I love to make cards and decorations.

  61. hannah oneill

    I love to knit because it is relaxing

  62. Louise Burgess

    love crafting with my son so these will be great

  63. wendy gordon

    i love baking, card making, knitting and cross stitch, unfortunately the only one i’m good at is cross stitch

  64. Sharon Noonan

    I love craft and diy, although not much good at it, but I’ll keep trying because the kids absolutely love to get sticky and messy

  65. Sharon Lou Johnson

    i love makeing card and sticking and glueing with my girl x

  66. chani lewis

    My daughter and I love to make zombies out of scraps of felt,
    Let our imaginations run wild.

  67. Tracy Newton

    I love making things with the kids. Although they make an horrendous mess, we all enjoy it. Quality family time

  68. T. Brailey

    I love making cards because I find personal individual cards are so much nicer than shop bought ones.

  69. anne farndell

    Awesome! My favourite craft is cross stitch!

  70. Shannon O'Donnell

    As a person who loves crafts but has very little creativity it’s difficult aha, I love painting, card making and calligraphy, I’d say these would be perfect for the latter!

  71. Lisa King

    I love making cards for the family. So much more thought goes into them

  72. My favourite type of craft is crochet. I love making blankets. But I would love to decorate a mug with these

  73. Deborah Clarke

    I find card making very therapeutic. Fab giveaway. Would love to be your lucky winner. Fingers x

  74. jen s morgan

    We love messy play. Painting, colouring glitter mess kids love it x

  75. Amy Rennocks

    I’m really into card making and my son has also taken up the hobby <3

  76. Kim Styles

    I like painting but I am not very good at it!! I enjoy the time alone -its very therapeutic

  77. Rachel Heap

    I like to colour in with my daughter she is very creative and we have alot of fun together

  78. Sarah Fielding

    I like to make my own cards for people 🙂

  79. maria dhillon

    i love decorating bottles and glasses with pictures and glitter

  80. I like to do match craft with my niece. We need some more practice.

  81. Ann-Marie Gould

    I do alot of water colour painting with my daughter we find it very therapeutic

  82. Jacob Barnard

    Just normal drawing as it allows me to be creative

  83. Jo Hutchings

    I love adult colouring books; I find them very relaxing.

  84. Michaela Hannah

    I love painting because its something we can do as a family

  85. Emily Slough

    Anything involving pens!! Like you , I am a stationary fiend!!! Today we have been having fun with sharpies and cardboard! These pens look awesome!

  86. MANDY DOHERTY

    Book folding, I find it very relaxing

  87. Kate Mitchell

    We’ve just made owls from slices of wood, buttons and pipe cleaners. Loads of fun x

  88. Lynsey Buchanan

    I like to colour in with pencils and felt tip pens i find it relaxing.

  89. Danni Cresswell

    Me and my son enjoy painting it’s something we can do together

  90. Tilly correnza

    My son loves making junk monsters from the recycling. We use paper mache and paints and glue and anything else he can get his hands on!

  91. Jamie Edwards

    My son loves making cards, the ones in the shop never have what his friends like on them (apparently) so he likes to make his own! 🙂

  92. Mrs Heather Harris

    cross stitch is my thing I have lots in my house framed

  93. Peter Watson

    I like cardmaking as it is so relaxing for me.

  94. janine atkin

    we like to make cards and give them to people

  95. Sandra Clarke

    At the moment I like to do jewellery making as I find it very relaxing.

  96. Jane Willis

    I love all forms of papercraft – stamping, decoupage, encaustic painting and much more. I make greetings cards to be sold for charity, and find it very relaxing and creative.

  97. Jo Carroll

    I sketch quite a bit…even if more of them end up more like my little boy’s doodles 😉

  98. Sarah Robinson

    I love colouring with colouring pencils.

  99. Zoe Trelfa-Porter

    We love collecting twigs and things natural and making them into pictures

  100. judy kennedy

    Making collages from things we find, stones, feathers

  101. kate kathurima

    we like salt doh make anything you like

  102. Sarah Davison

    I love cross stitching. It’s so relaxing and you get something pretty to hang on your walls at the end.

  103. Lorna Ledger

    These are very cool. We like upscaling things, especially jars x

  104. Nicola Hoare

    I am a little bit of a crafter, I enjoy making jewellery, drawing/designing, felting and building little bits for around my home 🙂

  105. love making hand made cards its very relaxing

  106. adeinne tonner

    I love knitting and also painting as i find it so relaxing

  107. Used to love crochet – found it so relaxing and easier than knitting x

  108. Jules page

    Card making. It’s nice to give them for birthdays etc.

  109. Rachel Craig

    Card making is nice. As is arts and crafts, yet lovely as a gift also.

  110. Andrea Fletcher

    I like knitting and making cushions.

  111. Isabel O

    Lately I’ve mostly been making cards and framed prints. 🙂

  112. Alice Dixon

    I love cross stitching because I find it relaxing and love to see my end result. But with my children we love glueing and sticking best, because they love to find unusual items to use to make something

  113. Danielle Pooley

    We love collecting leafs & shells, then we paint them & press them on to paper!

  114. Annabel Greaves

    My kids love to make cards and diaries to give as presents

  115. Lorraine Stone

    We make salt dough animals and paint them. Great fun, if very messy!

  116. Sue McCarthy

    I sew and knit. I especially enjoy making sewn kids clothes which I donate to charity, to go to Romania.

  117. lucy higgins

    I love crochet but when i do art with my nephew we particularly like gluing and sticking with lots of sequins and glitter!

  118. I love card making. Can be as creative as I like and personalise it to the person I am sending. Everyone loves a homemade card

  119. I love papercrafts – just pieces of paper can make so many wonderful things! Love these chalk pens too, I can’t wait to try them out with my grand-daughter!

  120. Jo Glasspool

    I love cross stitch because I find it relaxing and i like the end result.

  121. Margaret GALLAGHER

    We enjoying making things from old boys and bobs ie sock monkeys and making our own cards

  122. Kristy Brown

    I’m a sewer but my daughter loves to draw with crayon and chalks

  123. Toni Pearson

    I used to love knitting, but have developed arthritis, so now enjoy card making

  124. Emma Lycett

    I love to cross stitch, I use it as part of my daily mindfulness/meditations

  125. tammy westrup

    I love painting acrylics but havn’t done any for ages! I love cutting and sticking with the kids- simple but effective

  126. Sam Swain

    I enjoy colouring because it is very relaxing and I can produce lovely pictures with little talent!

  127. Lisa Wilkinson

    I really enjoying knitting and crocheting. It’s something I learnt as a child and it relaxes me

  128. Jennifer Bruce

    My two year old daughter loves the magic of painting spots on paper and folding it in half to create a butterfly!

  129. lynn neal

    I like sewing and also drawing and colouring with my grandchildren!

  130. I love knitting. I find it peaceful and relaxing.

  131. Angie McDonald

    I love to make and build things from old egg boxes and cardboard – I think this can really help with creativity!

  132. Mark Palmer

    Making latch hook rugs. I find it very therapeutic

  133. Inga Andersen

    Card making, it something I also used to do with my niece when she was younger 🙂

  134. Sam Rhodes

    We enjoy making things from scratch – we made an oyster shell this weekend from cardboard and paper mache! messy, but fun! we like it because we all get involved and its nice to see what we can make

  135. My kids love all forms of messy crafts; paint, playdough, glitter, glue.

  136. Corinne Henson

    When I have time I like to make cards

  137. Danielle Spencer

    I love card making and all sorts of crafts, especially making toys and treats for my animals.

  138. laura wheatley

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE Crafts so it is hard to choose… sewing, cardmaking, decopage. My daughter loves it too she would love these markers

  139. Pingback: Ending March 5th – Love Competitions

  140. Daniel Harrison

    Colouring. Peaceful and you can do it anywhere

  141. Lynn Heath

    My daughter loves anything with glitter!!!!!

  142. They look fab – way better than the dusty old chalk sticks I’m used to!
    Thanks for linking up with #TriedTested this week x

  143. I enjoy cross stitch. It’s relaxing and I used to do it when I was younger with my mum.

  144. Heather Brannan

    I’ve just discovered adult colouring books and I simply adore doing this in my free time

  145. Ollie Randolph

    I’ve just started knitting and I love it. I find it so relaxing.

  146. Hayley f

    i love sewing as i like to make something from nothing x

  147. Keith Hunt

    We make Airfix Ships as i love classic liners.

  148. jo liddement

    I love knitting and making sweaters and blankets for myself and the family.Nice that you can choose your own colours too.

  149. Keri Jones

    I love drawing and card making. I occasionally do scrapbooking too 😀 x

  150. Ray Dodds

    Finger painting with my 4 year old granddaughter

  151. Jodie Thompson

    Making collage pictures with the children 🙂

  152. Tony Metcalfe

    I like drawing, or just doddling, mainly just in pencil. I find it quite relaxing.

  153. Spencer Broadley

    My eldest son likes to do lots of drawing, whereas my younger son likes making things with lego. I am more for the latter but my “other half” is more into the former. Why? They just take time up with enjoying what you like to do.

  154. Harline Parkin

    I love to make my own cards makes it much more personal knowing that person you can fit it around there character

  155. Sarah Mackay

    I love to do crochet as find it relaxes me making blankets

  156. tee simpson

    we like painting as it allows us to get messy

  157. melanie stirling

    Drawing and colouring in,it’s relaxing and takes my mind off things.

  158. Hannah Lord

    Finger painting, making animals out of different hand/finger prints

  159. Leanne Newsome

    I love to colour in adult colouring books it helps me to relax

  160. Martina Pichova

    I like drawing stuff for my kids to colour in.

  161. Kim Neville

    Making personal cards for family and friends

  162. Charlotte Burford

    I enjoy hand painting eggs for easter. we cover the house in them!

  163. laura banks

    i like drawing ive always been a doodler

  164. painting with watercolours is one of my favourite pastimes

  165. Tracy Hanley

    we have been making head bands , my granddaughter now has one for each day

  166. olivia kirby

    We like painting! We just like all the colours and textures.

  167. Tracy Nixon

    I personally love needle felting and I also love to make collages with my girls!

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