We recently updated and upgraded my craft lair and I am head over heels in love with it. It is my sanctuary, my hide away, my happy place. I worked hard to decorate and make it my own and I basically live in here now. The last time I was peering out the window; pondering life, love and the magic of Mod Podge I decided that my windows were simply not up to par with the rest of the lair. Other than the blinds the only decoration they exhibit is the occasional dog nose art, something had to be done.
So I decided on window clings! When I began to research I was surprised at how easy the process was. I thought there would be some concoction to be mixed or purchased. It turns out, all you need is fabric paint!!
EW you mean that weird bottled goop from the 90’s??
Yes!!! I had the same thought but kept an open mind and found a great set from CRAFTS 4 ALL that I love on Amazon. If you don’t currently have fabric paint in your repertoire, try Amazon like I did or they are easily found at any craft store and are not expensive. You can get a whole kit like I did or just stick with a color theme to match your décor or theme that you’re rolling with.
Next, you’ll need to decide on the shape and design of your clings and print or draw that out on paper. I chose butterflies and mandalas… (Hindsight 20/20) I may have chosen a simpler pattern for my first go at this. The smaller details were tricky at times but definitely do-able so go at your own pace. Once you decide on a design you can slide it into the plastic sleeve and get started. I HIGHLY recommend doing an outline of the whole design first and letting it dry completely before coloring it in. This lets you edit any boo-boos with a toothpick or cotton swab, having the outline dry lets you scrape away any unwanted paint. I always recommend painting colors light to dark (other than your outline) I find it’s always easier to start with the lightest color and go from there. It’s always easier to cover light with dark than the other way around. If you do have some small spots like I did to fill in and you are finding that the bottle tip is to thick just grab a pallet or paper plate, squirt some out and use a brush or toothpick to fill it in. The only thing about using a brush is that you want the paint on there pretty thick. The thicker it is, the easier it will be to peel it off later.
Once you have your design painted let it dry overnight. When you are ready to peel it off it will help to stick it in the freezer for a bit. On my first try I went to peel it off and it REFUSED to budge, and we almost had an epic battle before I thought to stick it in the freezer (thank goodness). Depending on size let in sit in there for 10-15 minutes. When you take it out you will want to work quickly while it is stiff and carefully peel it off. For my bigger clings I actually needed to repeat this process a couple times to get it off completely. If you have the same problem, simply peel off what you can and place a paper towel in between and stick it back in the freezer again. Baby steps. Just be careful when handling your clings because they WILL stick to themselves and each other if given the opportunity, very opportunistic those window clings.. Once it is peeled off you are ready to stick it to the window!! I recommend a quick rinse of the glass and then just slap it on there!
After I finished my clings, I realized that I could run a little wild with this glass and fabric paint combo and also jazzed up a few flowerpots! Check them out!!! I have found new and unbridled love for the weird goop y'all!!
What you need:
· Fabric paint
· Clear plastic paper covers
· Printouts/drawings to trace
· Paintbrushes
· Toothpicks, cotton swabs, paper towels
What to do (and tips):
· Choose an image and print or draw out a picture to trace for your cling
· Slide the image into a plastic paper cover
· Using a darker color, trace the outline of you image with fabric paint (tip: use toothpicks and cotton swabs to clean any uneven lines)
· Let dry
· Using lighter/brighter colors, color in your design
· Let dry over night
· Carefully peel cling from plastic, stick and ENJOY (tip: place it in the freezer for easier peeling)
