Another Tree For Me

Hello, and welcome to my 200th post!  I don't expect that to mean a thing to anyone else, but for me, it's a major milestone.  I wanted to post something meaningful, but I've spent more time these past few days trying to select the topic, and I've gotten writers block.  So screw it.  I'll update you on my latest project, which is what I really want to tell you about anyway.


When I was growing up, I loved stickers.  Like most little girls, I was mesmerized by their beauty.  I coveted and hoarded them.  I carefully planned where I would stick each one, because it had to be perfect.  You only get one chance to stick it.  If you don't stick it just right, there are no do-overs.

I remember saving most of my stickers just like I bought them, keeping them on their original paper.  I had big plans for those stickers--I couldn't just go around sticking them all willy-nilly on anything and everything.  That would be irresponsible sticky-ness.  They had to be protected, loved, and daresay, respected.  My school notebook was decorated with my favorite stickers.  I still remember the scratch 'n' sniff doughnut stickers I thought were adorable.  I think I had an ice cream cone one too and chocolate bonbons.

Over the past couple of days, I've been able to play with lots of great stickers again.  They aren't scratch 'n' sniff, but they ARE totally cool. 

Todd hung a mirror above the bed, and I used some decals around it.  I'm not happy with the positioning of the top left one, so I will rearrange it.  Part of the scroll is behind the mirror.  Dang static cling.  I have a few more of these scrolls scattered throughout the bedroom.

Added some pizazz around the bedroom mirror

I've been planning another sticker project for over 6 months.  I was thinking it would be a major P.I.T.A, and I would probably end up getting so frustrated that I may scrap the whole thing.  But alas, I got to this project today.  And I am delightfully surprised.

First step = Cut all the pieces apart and get a game plan on what connects where.  This was like a jigsaw puzzle, although an easy one.  The directions were obviously not written by a native English speaker, but it made enough sense that I understood the intention. 



Placing all the pieces together--what did I get myself into?

Next step = Put up the first piece.  This was by far the scariest and most important step.  I wasn't sure how the plastic was going to be to work with when pulling off the wall (and the decal was supposed to stay in place).  And if I get this puppy crooked, all other pieces will be off.  Fortunately the trim wasn't flush against the wall, so I was able to maneuver the sticker right up to the baseboard.

Piece #1 = scary sticking
 

Continue putting up the pieces.  The only problem I encountered is that the film you use to stick the sticker onto the wall with, wasn't always bigger than the decal on the edge.  I had to carefully peel the sticker up and stay positioned, since this particular rectangle was a guide for centering the next piece to the last piece (slightly important to keep in place).

Could have been manufactured better, but I figured out how to work with it.

Continue placing pieces until they are all in place.

And then all of a sudden, a real wall-size tree comes to life within an hour!  This sucker went up QUICK!  I was so happy with how it worked, that I would have no apprehension doing any kind of decal sticker again.  I think the bigger ones were actually easier to work with than the smaller decals.  If it has a transfer film over it, it's pretty easy to work with vs. the clear plastic stickers that produce more static cling than a cattle dog running on shag carpet in a high dry climate.

I'm ready to print some pictures, buy some frames, and hang them from my "family tree".  Which will happen to be a literal tree of pictures in my hallway.  I will post a picture of it completed, but it will be a few weeks out for that.  Making decisions on which pictures to use will take me awhile.

So happy with our hallway tree!
Soon there will be pictures "hanging" from the branches.