Crafty Cousins: Vinyl Says It All

Today, we get to be wowed by the most fabulous vinyl lady ever! Brandi is such a great friend and she is also the mama to all boys. We totally get each other! Brandi is going to teach us how to apply vinyl lettering. Ready? Okay!

Vinyl lettering is the newest craze in home décor. It’s easy to apply and can be completely customized to fit your home. Vinyl lettering can be applied to a number of surfaces such as wood, glass, walls, windows, tile, mirrors, and metal. The options are endless. You can choose any quote, font, and color.

Vinyl lettering is similar to a rub on sticker. Before you apply the vinyl, be sure that the area you will be applying it to is clean and dry. If you have just painted a surface make sure the paint is dry before applying the vinyl. To make application easier, you can mark the application area with a pencil. One of the most common mistakes is not applying the lettering in a straight line. Marking the area will help you to avoid this mistake.

The lettering arrives on a piece of vinyl paper with application tape on top. Firmly rub the application tape with a hard surface such as a credit card or squeegee. To apply the lettering, slowly pull the application tape away from the paper. The vinyl will stick to the application tape. If your vinyl is not sticking to the application tape simply rub that area again. Once you have all the lettering on the application tape you can then position it. Be careful not to let the vinyl touch the application surface before you have it exactly where you want it. The best way to do this is to hold the application tape by the edges and position it where you want it. Once you have it where you want it gently rub over the tape with your hand to secure it in place, then use your hard surface (credit card or squeegee) and press firmly. Be sure to rub over the surface several times to insure the vinyl is secure. Then remove the application tape by slowly pulling it off at an angle.

To remove the vinyl from a surface, hold a hair dryer to the vinyl for about 20 seconds. The vinyl will then peel away from the surface without damaging anything. Because vinyl can be removed without any damage, you can put up vinyl for special occasions without worry.

Here are some simple Christmas gift ideas that are fast and affordable and can be placed on just about any surface!!

Here are a few samples of Brandi’s work:

How about this plate for Santa’s goodies? Let’s face it. As a mama of all boys, the saying on this plate is a must! :)

I love this advent calendar! Just move the magnet as the days go by!

This wood block would make a great neighbor/teacher gift!

I just love this little saying in my nursery. So sweet and so true!

I live by my whiteboard. I seriously couldn’t live without it.

I love this job chart for my boys. Their chores are always changing, so I love that it is on a white board. Oh, yeah. The “Paranoid-Freak-Mom” in me changed their names for this post. Just pretend the names are in vinyl! :)