Easy Decorating With Vinyl Wall Quotes

Dress Up Your Walls With "Wall Quotes"

Not so great photo of a wall quote in my laundry room, but you get the picture.

I used to be obsessed with signs.  You know those distressed wooden signs with all kinds of "primitive" sayings on them (and I won't lie, I still have a few).  Now, however, my obsession has switched to vinyl wall quotes and transfers that you rub on the wall directly.  When done these look more like they have been painted on, which is probably why I like them more now.  You know I love a paint project!

I recently repainted a small part of my kitchen, and all of my hallway walls and doors.  I had seen in the past a particular wall quote I wanted for my hallway wall where I will be hanging pictures of N.  While searching for it I also saw one I thought I might want for my kitchen arch.  Since my time before starting back to school is running short I decided to tackle them both this morning. Here are some pics from my project.

Applying vinyl wall quotes is easy.  You just need a few simple tools.  A pencil, a level, some scissors, and a "burnishing" tool like a sturdy credit card.  

On the wall where you want your quote to go, determine the center of where your quote will be applied.  I used the ruler on the level for this, then mark the center of your quote on the stencil paper.  Once you have done this you might want to tape up the stencil with painters tape to see if you like the placement.  Next, make a small pencil line that is level across the space where you want your letters to sit, that will help you keep them even.  Peel the stencil apart and stick the transfer side (the sticky part with the vinyl quote) onto your wall using your marks and lines for placement help.  It will look like this...

Using your credit card, or whatever rubbing tool you prefer, begin rubbing the wall quote with firm pressure. This step is getting it to adhere to your wall.  When it begins to stick you will see the rubbed area change color slightly.  You can see it in this picture.

And that's all there is to it!  See I told you it was simple!  Begin your big reveal.  Peel the paper back S-L-O-W-L-Y.  If anything is still stuck to the transfer paper, press and smooth it back quickly and rub that area some more.

In the picture below I am about half way done, and I have trimmed off some of the extra empty paper.  It's looking good!

And here we are!  Now I need to clean up my guide lines and a couple old nail holes from previous decorations.  Truth be told when I look from below it seems to be running slightly uphill - but I think I can deal with it.  It was level with my lines, so I think it was either slightly off on the transfer paper, or my arch is not completely even.  So you might want to eyeball it as well...  I like it!  What do you think?

The wall quote above came from ebay, the wall quote below from etsy.  There are hundreds of possible quotes to be had.  And if you ask nicely most sellers will custom design one for you. The top kitchen quote was a custom order based on one of the seller's stock designs (ebay seller lee9098 - try searching "last name wall scroll").

This wall I will finish off with family pictures, but for now I need to flop down at my computer for a rest.  So, now you have an excuse to come back in a few days to see the final arrangement.  

The finished product looks to be off centered but it really just a trick of the camera angle.  My hallway won't allow me to back up enough to shoot the picture from directly across from it. Shooting it from the side makes it appear to be too far to the right.  

Don't you love this saying?  I'm afraid when I get N's pictures up there I am going to cry!  I am sending a junior to school this year - they grow so fast.  Thanks for viewing my project.  Do you have one you'd like to share?  Leave a message in the comments box!


PS:  After a little rest I ended up finishing my picture wall.  So...here it is!  I plan to replace the large picture on the right once I get this year's school picture, and (sadly) next year a giant senior portrait will go there.  And yes, I did cry...