Thursday, February 10, 2011

Keeping Track of Who's Going Where & When


Decor Elements is a line of vinyl clings for home decorating that SU! debuted a few years ago. In the current Occasions Mini, there is a set called Days of the Week that sells for $29.95. They have a chalkboard surface for making note of things on the schedule for that day, and I think it is the perfect solution for keeping straight who's going where when--especially if you have multiple children!

The clings are self-adhesive and they can be applied to any surface, especially walls, and removed later without leaving behind residue or damaging the paint job. They come sandwiched between two layers of paper that peel away, one to reveal the adhesive, and the other that comes off after you've rubbed the image to stick it to the surface of your choice.

Each of the Days of the Week Decor Elements is 9" square. I chose to mount mine on foamboard, which you can procure at any big box hobby store. It does NOT come with the vinyl clings.

Here's what I did. I trimmed the paper layers so that I had a good reference point for where the cling starts. Then I rubbed it while it was still between the layers to remove any air pockets. There's a tool that SU! sells to help with this process and to use while applying the clings. (It looks a lot like the scraper a certain in-home cookwares company sells.)

Then I peeled off the backing and applied it to the foamboard, using said tool to make sure it was smoothed down and well stuck.



I used a straight edge and an Exacto knife with a self-healing mat underneath to cut the squares. If you aren't familiar with a self-healing mat, it is a piece of heavy duty plastic that's sold at fabric stores and used by quilters to cut squares. Somehow it doesn't scar when you cut on it, and it doesn't allow the blade you're using to go through it and mar the dining room tabletop. (That would make my husband VERY mad.)

I am so tickled with the result. Note that while they look like they are attached to each other in this picture, each day of the week is its own cling. Now I just have to figure out where I'm going to hang it in my house, and get some chalk markers so that we can all know who has to be where when. The picture in the catalog shows each day mounted on a board and leaned against a wire basket filled with whatever items need to go with each child to his/her activity. I think this is genius!

If you don't have that many people to keep track of, I still think this set has lots of possibilities. I'm going to use mine to post a daily list of things I'm thankful for, and I will invite the other members of my family to do so as well. You could post a favorite Bible verse or use it as a rotating giant scrapbook, marking vacations, birthdays, and other special events with pictures and journalling. I know it's going to be a great conversation piece in our house.

If you'd like to order this, you may do so via my online store or by leaving me a comment and I'll contact you.

1 comment:

Debra@Dejarenew.blogspot.com said...

What a clever idea. Love it.

thanks so much for swing by my blog and your sweet words about my 70's table end table makeover. So appreciated

I am now your newest follower as well. I would love for you to swing by and join me as well if you are not already :) xoxo.

Take care.
Deb
http://dejarenew.blogspot.com