DECORATIVE, VINYL WALL DECALS

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BLOSSOM TREE WALL DECALS

Whether you know them as decorative, vinyl wall decals ,
wall stickers or appliques, you have to admit they have really come into their own as fashionable decor for bedrooms, kitchens or even family rooms. Stickers made from cheap, plastic materials from the past have been replaced with much improved, vinyl that is so resilient that the applications for their use have virtually exploded onto the home decorating scene.

I don’t know about you, but a few years back I considered the best place for vinyl stickers was in the bottom of the bathtub to add some traction to an otherwise slippery surface. There were little fish, seashells and other cutouts that one might associate with water. Although what the inhabitants of the ocean and shower baths had in common other than water escapes me even now.

Today, decorative vinyl wall decals for the home have moved beyond the limits of the bathroom door. And while sea creatures are still popular subjects for wall appliques, their latest version might glow in the dark or feature a 3D design. Actually I’ve only seen glow in the dark solar system wall appliqués but who says that a starfish won’t be next?

MODERN APPLICATIONS

The beauty of using removable baby nursery wall decals to decorate your little one's room or that hard to fill spot behind your favorite chair in the den is that you can experiment to your heart’s content. If you aren’t happy with the effect on one area of your home’s decor, peel it off and stick it on the wall in another room. I’m sure that you will agree that sheer mobility may give wall stickers an advantage over stenciling in many situations.


You may be having difficulties in wrapping your head around stickers in living areas of your home. But take it from me that not only are they stylish but the right wall stickers can do wonders for solving decorating problems.

As an example, I recently used a chandelier wall appliqué in a formal dining room that was too small for a large ceiling fixture. The results were dramatic. The large sticker on the walls gave the illusion of a chandelier over the table without actually taking up space which made the room look bigger and might I say, very trendy and stylish.

SHAPES and STYLES

Flowers and tropical fish wall stickers are still out there, only now there are coral reef stickers and many more ocean creatures that will add layer upon layer of color and interest to your designs. Animals are another big hit with decorators. Life size jungle stick ons of zebra, giraffes and big cats do a lot to punch up the activity in painted murals. And teeny boppers can rejoice in the knowledge that many of their favorite pop idols have a selection of wall decals in their promotional product lines.


SAYINGS, WORDS and QUOTES

Here's where wall decals move boldly where no other sticker has dared to go. Word stickers for walls are primarily custom made according to your specifications. And it shouldn't surprise you to know that special orders for wall phrase decals have gone through the roof. Everything from funny sayings to your favorite Bible verses can be printed and made ready to decorate your walls in beautiful script. Use them in place of wallpaper borders at chair rail height or to span the room directly under the crown molding. It's entirely up to you and that's just another aspect that makes them so appealing.

Here’s a little decorating secret; wall stickers are wonderful to camouflage flaws in a room’s wall paint. Nicks and nail holes disappear without having to spring for painting the entire area. And those are just a few of the pros of inexpensive, reusable vinyl wall decals. Stay tuned to find more unique and interesting wall decorating ideas and tips on how to use stickers to make your home more beautiful for very cheap price.

TWIG WREATHS - INSTRUCTIONS and DECORATING IDEAS

You know that spring is just around the corner when you see twig wreaths decorated with tulips, lily of the valley and bright, satin ribbons. When the snow is just beginning to melt, the sight of the first brave crocus peeking its pretty face out to meet the sun makes me want to color the world in pastels.

My first step in the process is to give the wreaths on the doors and walls a makeover. The berries and pinecones that were so appropriate last fall will be removed and stored until I’m ready to cocoon in late autumn. Right now, nothing will do but flowers for the door wreath and Easter bunnies and baby chicks for the primitive twig wreath for the wreath on the door leading to my rustic, bear, moose theme baby nursery room where I’ve been so careful to keep things primitive in design.

I’m conflicted over whether it’s best to make a trip to the woods and gather materials to make a brand new wreath and store the less colorful one in its original form. It’s so easy to make twig or grapevine wreaths that it might be simpler to start from scratch than to remove, store only to decorate the twig wreath again next fall.

What I love about twig wreaths is that they are an empty palette, are easy to personalize and make lovely, affordable gifts for kids, babies or adults on your Christmas or baby shower list.

Here are some easy instructions for how to make your own wreath from twigs.

Your supply list should give a hint at why I love these cheap gifts:

• A straightened wire coat hanger
• Florist wire (22 gauge will work)
• Decorations (more suggestions on that later)

Step 1.) Gather your twigs. Don’t overlook twigs from shrubs and bushes around your house that need trimming anyway.

Step 2.) Trim your twigs into a uniform length of about 5 – 6 inches

Step 3.) Prepare your base (the straight portion of the heavy clothes hanger wire) into whatever shape and size you need. My suggestions are an elongated oval or round. Take care that it’s not so big that the twig wreath will be floppy or be pulled out shape by the weight of your twigs and decorative items.
Once the end of your clothes hanger wire has been secured around the base of the hanger’s hooked end; take your wire pliers and slowly bend the hook to make more of an “eye” or a circle positioned closer to the big wire circle you just made making sure that it will be covered by your twigs.

Step 4.) Cut about a dozen pieces of florist wire about six inches long.

Step 5.) Pick up a handful of twigs and use one piece of your florist wire to make a tight bunch. Repeat this step until you have enough bunches to cover your wire base.

Step 6.) Taking one bunch at a time, using a continuous strand of florist wire start to secure each bunch to your base form carefully overlapping one over the other. The last bunch in the process should be fastened so that it completely hides the wire form. Clip the wire and weave it in so that the sharp end is not a danger.

Step 7.) Unadorned twig wreaths are beautiful in their natural state, but it’s fun to decorate them for the seasons or for special occasions like a housewarming party or to include as a baby shower gift.

For instance:

• A primitive Easter Bunny and carrot made from cutter quilt scraps or some homemade Easter eggs will dress your creation up as a wonderful Easter wreath.
  
  
• A few vintage baby rattles or toys transform a plain grapevine or twig wreath into a lovely baby shower gift for a nature minded mom.
  
  
• Sprays of red pepper berries, holly berries or dried ornamental pepper pods make a festive Christmas wreath.
  
• Colorful autumn leaves will carry your twig wreath from fall right up to the Christmas holidays.
  

A homemade wreath is such a creative and inexpensive gift, not to mention they are so easy and fun to make, that you will want to build an inventory of these beauties to keep on hand.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor to pick up more tips on how to make your own twig wreaths to decorate the walls and doors of your home.