Chalk board is a great idea. I was going to put my grandson's name and the year on it somewhere and that's where it should go. It's not a black square - it's blue on blue with a suble floral print. I tried to pick out primary colors from the panel that each had a shape in it. The black with white stars bothers me - the quilt shop lady came up with that one and I know it goes - black and white are in the panel and a star is a shape, but ... I don't like it. i needed three pieces to go between the fussy cut blocks and got the blue, green, and black.