DIY window clings are a brilliant holiday project. They are simple to make, yet deliver a great deal of creative satisfaction — plus making your own is a lot cheaper than buying them at the store.
“I like the clings of snowflakes or autumn leaves since they capture the pattern of nature and are beautiful without any heavy adornment,” says holiday decor creator Richie David. “They have the power of transforming any room into a form of creativity.”
Another bonus, they are easy to peel off, so you can change them up for each season. Here are two techniques for making DIY window clings.
Create Your Design and Template
- Choose a design for your window cling. Keep in mind that simple ones are easier to execute.
- Draw it on a sheet of paper. If drawing isn’t your thing, print out a design you like from the internet or use a page from a coloring book.
- Insert the paper with your design on it into a plastic sheet protector. Alternatively, you can tape a piece of translucent wax paper over the top. In a pinch, a plastic bag will work, too.
Mix Your Paint (glue method only)
- Use a separate container for each color.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of glue with one drop of dish soap.
- Add the food coloring.
Pro-tip: You can create more colors with fewer containers by starting with light colors. Once you’re done painting those, add in more food coloring to create darker colors. For example, on the Christmas tree, we started with the forest green color, then added yellow to make the more subdued green tone.
Paint Your Design
- Using puff paint (aka 3D paint), fabric paint or the glue mixture, outline your design on the page protector. Outline any inner shapes, too.
- It’s important that the outer edge have a solid line, or it may break when you go to peel it off later.
Pro-tip: If you’re using puff paint, practice a few strokes on scrap plastic first, to get a feel for how it comes out of the bottle.
- Fill in the inside of the design, making the paint decently thick, so it’s easier to peel off at the end. Also, make sure all of the interior paint colors are touching, or they may also rip apart at the end.
- Shake on some glitter, for a more festive look.
Note: Puff paint is not the same as glitter glue. But you can get puff paint with glitter in it, or add your own. If you’ve chosen the glue method, food coloring will make the design more translucent than acrylic paint.
Wait For It to Dry
- It may take 24 to 48 hours for your creation to dry, so stash it in a safe place overnight.
- You can tell it’s dry when it becomes translucent. If it still looks milky from behind, it’s not dry yet.
- Shake the glitter off once the paint is dry.
Peel and Stick
- Peel your creation from the sheet protector.
- Start slowly and try to use patience, so it doesn’t rip or stretch too much.
Pro-tip: If it’s not peeling off well, put it in the freezer for a few hours. If that doesn’t work, you might need to add another layer of paint, and wait for that to dry.
- Once it’s off, press the smooth side against a clean window. Choose one that gets a lot of sun, so the light truly makes your creation shine.
- If you decide later on that you want to move your cling to another window, it’s okay to just peel it off and re-stick it elsewhere.
FAQ
Will homemade window clings damage my window?
No, DIY window clings will not damage windows, but they could leave a bit of residue. “You’re more likely to damage the glass by scratching it during the cleaning process, by using too much pressure with an abrasive tool,” says home cleaning expert Kamila Soltynska.
How do you remove/clean up window clings?
Peel them off with your fingers. If that doesn’t work, try gently lifting them with a plastic scraper, or heat the window cling with a hair dryer, to soften the glue. “Hopefully, that’s where things end, but especially with homemade sticky stuff like window clings, l’ll often find there’s leftover residue to clean,” says Soltynska. “If that’s the case, a quick swipe with warm soapy water should do, [or] for more stubborn residue, a degreasing spray, such as those you would use in your kitchen.”
About the Experts
- Kamila Soltynska is founder of Best Home Services, which serves the London, England, area. Beyond removing window clings, the company also provides domestic, commercial and biohazard cleaning services.
- Richie David is president and CEO of Totally Home Furniture, as well as a holiday decoration creator, specializing in seasonal decor concepts that are interesting to families and homeowners.
The post DIY Your Own Window Clings This Holiday: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Family Handyman.
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