Gift Guide 
What You’ll Need for Each Chalk Stick
- ¾ cup powdered plaster
- ¼ cup water
- One 4½-inch-long cardboard tube
- Waxed paper
- Medium-size mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Liquid tempera paint (in your choice of colors)
What to Do
1. Mix together the powdered plaster with the water until the mixture is about as thick as toothpaste. (If it seems too runny, add 1 tablespoon of plaster at a time, until it’s thick enough. If it seems too thick, add a small amount of water.)
2. Set the cardboard tube upright on a piece of waxed paper. Spoon the mixture into the cardboard tube. Try to pop or push down any bubbles you see.
3. Let the filled tube rest upright on the waxed paper for three to four hours until the chalk has “set.” Then peel off the damp cardboard.
4. Let the chalk dry completely for 24 hours.
