ToDo List: 31 diy projects

8.01.2010

Tutorial: How to make a birdie wall decal with contact paper

I've been looking around at my bare walls lately and thinking that they need some dressing up. So, what's the perfect solution? Wall decals, of course!
Birdie wall art, which is above the girls' dog bed next to my desk.
I have spent countless hours scouring the pages and pages of vinyl wall decals on Etsy, but I haven't been willing to part with $50 to $100 for something that I felt I could create myself. And the beauty of making it yourself is that you can make something that is unique and customized to fit with your space perfectly. And if you are impatient like I am, you can have this project up on your walls in a couple of hours from start to finish instead of waiting on the mail to deliver the one you bought online. Sweet. 

**First of all, just want to mention that I have seen this project idea before, but I cannot recall where.** 













Materials - contact paper (preferably a solid color) ($5.68); scissors ($2); X-Acto knife ($5)


Time - approx. 2 hrs

Step 1 - Draw your shapes onto the back of the contact paper. 

(Note: If you are interested in making the chick decal as shown here, then cut the shapes using the following dimensions (or adjust to make bigger or smaller while keeping the same height-width ratio): The big birdie is 21 cm wide x 13 cm tall, the medium sized birdie on the right is 16 cm x 10 cm, and the small one is 10 cm x 7.5 cm.)

Step 2 - Cut out the shapes.

Step 3 - Use the X-Acto knife to cut out the eyes. 

(Note: This was challenging, for me at least. If you find that you've accidentally given the little birdies angry expressions (ha ha), then just cut out some more contact paper and cover the eyes. It is hardly noticeable that you had to redo the eyes.)

Step 4 - Apply the contact paper shapes to the wall. The nice thing is that contact paper is removable, so you can reposition the shapes as many times as needed. 

Easy peasy!

Here is another decal I made for the half bath downstairs.

And here is a tree that I made to test out whether contact paper cutouts could pass as vinyl wall art.

Since I already posted one with my baby, Heidz, here is one of her sister, Jini, in front of the wall art. :)

I'm linking to...



Beyond The Picket Fence

504 Main

My wall decals were featured at Beyond The Picket Fence! Thank you!!!

Beyond The Picket Fence

14 comments:

  1. This is so neat! I will have to try this sometime! :) Does the contact paper come off easily?

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  2. Thank you! Yes, it peels right off. :) Although it hasn't been up very long, I am pretty confident that it will come off just as easily in months or years.

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  3. HOW funny! I was just practicing doing this on my walls today--and then I stumble upon this on your blog! I don't know how I missed this before! I was trying to mod podge paper onto my contact paper--and it was not working too well. But you plain contact paper looks AMAZING!! I LOVE the one in your half bath! I will definately have to try this!! Thanks for the great tutorial!

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  4. Thanks so much! That's a really great idea to mod podge paper on top! I never would have thought of trying something like that. I will definitely try it on my plain white walls if it ends up working out for you. Can't wait to see pictures! Thanks again!

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  5. what a fun idea on the cheap! thanks for sharing. just stopped by from craftomaniac monday - great blog!! :)

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  6. This is a great project and one I will definitely try. Have a wonderful life.

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  7. I just read your profile. Hopefully, you are pursuing an art degree since, you obviously have artist talent!!!

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  8. I featured this this week--thanks for sharing!

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  9. Wow! Thanks so much, Becky! I'm so excited!!

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  10. WOW!!! I love this!!!! I am definitely going to do this! Thanks!

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  11. I love this new fad of wall decals too and thought 100 bucks was ridiculous...will be giving this a go!

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  12. http://thediariesoffabulocity.blogspot.com/

    Just starting out but have cute ideas coming your way!

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  13. Great idea!! You are brilliant! I have spent countless hours drooling over the decals on Etsy! they are expensive...thank you for posting this and your other ideas!

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  14. Los vinilos adhesivos de pared son una de las soluciones más efectivas a la hora de decorar las paredes de la casa

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Thanks for your kind comments!