the bedroom tree?

this is fun sharing my little decorating "how-to" with you.

So the tree?  

It started with the tall ceilings and white walls just begging for something to be done.

NOT wanting to paint

a) because of the high ceilings, and 

b) because it's a rental

(this wall I painted is only about 5 feet wide with normal ceiling height)

I remembered my mom telling me once about a HGTV design show that did a bit on using fabric as wallpaper and I always wanted to try.

plus I saw a few pictures of vinyl wall hangings that I thought looked cool.

This project sort of combined the two. 

Results:  Super easy, super cheap and as you saw, super cute! (if I do say so myself).

Supplies: fabric, powdered fabric starch, paint brush, scissors and water.

oh and paper to make a pattern (I used a roll of craft paper from IKEA.  Any roll of paper (like wrapping paper or cheap fabric would work)

For the fabric, I used what I already had in scraps (so resourceful).  

The brown is 2 yards that I had in my collection for "some project" that never happened.  I thought about using plain brown, but I like that the pattern makes it interesting, it ties in the blue that I already have in the room, and the flowers make it subtly feminine.

1st- I lightly drew what I wanted onto paper that I hung on the wall (I also drew on the wall itself)  

2nd- then I cut out the paper tree and used it as the pattern for cutting out my fabric. This part may take a little more attention and planning your fabric has a pattern and you want the pattern to match up (stripes, plaids etc) 

the leaves I cut free hand in an assortment of fabrics and sizes.

the good part about doing something like a tree is that it's very forgiving when it comes to precision.  Here's an photo I took from my friends blog.  to give you some inspiration (I think the giraffe is actually a vinyl sticker from pottery barn kids)

then the fun part.

3rd- stick the fabric to the wall using liquid fabric starch for glue!

more detailed rundown:

mix the powdered starch with water in a small bucket or a mixing bowl.  I just eyeballed it and made a sort of runny goop (for lack of a better word).  I don't think you can really mess up.

using the paint brush (it was just like a giant decoupage or paper mache project) 

I first painted the fabric starch goop onto the wall, then placed the fabric onto the spot I just gooped, then put more goop on top of the fabric.  I used my hands to smooth the fabric and squeeze out air bubbles and/or globs of starch trapped between the fabric and the wall.  

The tree trunk was the trickiest part (although with another adult helping it wouldn't be so tricky.  Asher and Ivy just weren't tall enough).  I started at the bottom wetting with goop and smoothing about 2 feet at a time.  I pinned the fabric up (instead of using another adult) as I worked because while it's wet, it can still peel off/ fall off very easily.

the leaves I just dropped right into the goop to soak it all up.  As I pulled them out, I used my two fingers (pointer and middle) to slide off the excess goop and then I placed them on the wall where I wanted them.  like I said- just like paper mache.

-sorry no pics of the "gluing" process.  my hands were wet with fabric starch.  

good clean fun (with a strong clean scent- thanks [or no thanks] to strong scented fabric starch)

once it dried, I went back in with the bowl of goop and paint brush to fix problem spots. I also used a wet rag to wipe excess starch off of the wall from places where it dripped (or where Ivy  and Asher painted it on)

I hung a few things on the wall, changed the sheets and VOILA!!!

 

 

so easy. really.

sidenotes:

get it wet again and it peels right off without leaving and marks on the wall or damage to the fabric.  (this is good because and bad.  Good that the artwork can travel with me unlike painted walls or stickers.  Bad if you have kids that might think it's fun to peel it off- thankfully my kids have left it alone)

my walls are smooth which I'm sure helps, but I still think this would work on textured walls. There would just be a texture to your fabric.

I read some things that said spray starch can also be used (have you ever tried that? I wonder which is easier? stronger? cheaper?)

so many design possibilities.  I'm excited to see the creations some of you come up with so send me pics or post them on your blog when you're done.  I think a big patchwork wall would be fun (Britt?)

any questions?

or suggestions?