Peter Pan's Shadow -- Make Your Own Decal

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If you browse Etsy long enough, you are sure to stumble across a variety of amazing and enchanting decals. Limitless art to spruce up your walls, your books, your windows, your motorcycles. Easy to apply, easy to remove, easy to replace, they're like the temporary tattoo of murals, the impish little brother of more traditional framed art. And being a kid who never quite mastered coloring inside the lines, I was drawn to decals as a toddler to a sharpie.


The question never was whether or not I'd succumb to decals. The question was what I'd choose. There were so many awesome options!

But what could be more perfect for a child's room than Peter Pan's whimsical shadow? The idea occurred to me one day and refused to be banished. I couldn't find anything quite right, so I looked into making my own. It seemed blazingly simple.

The first hitch in my plan was the fact that none of our local stores seemed to carry black contact paper. Because the only thing you might not have at home that you need to make yourself an awesome decal is contact paper.


Months passed. I had almost given up hope when one day I stumbled upon a glorious selection of rolls at OSH. So many different colors and prints! It was all I could do to limit myself to the one roll for which I actually had a use.

And then the roll sat under the crib gathering dust. Because I discovered another hitch in the plan. Remember that small thing, oh, that ever so small thing about me not being able to color inside the lines? Well, I never outgrew that. I can't draw (or sew, for that matter) a straight line to save my life.

But then I heard about the Peter Pan Blog Event, and I knew my months of excuses were at an end. I would make that decal if it killed me.

So your ingredients are these:
Idea or image
Contact paper
Scissors
Pencil (optional)
Tracing paper (would be so nice!)


I chose an inspirational image and used it as a sort of guide since I didn't have any tracing paper or really the skills to copy entirely. It would have been nice to have a kid pose so I could just trace his shadow, but my brother sure as stars wouldn't be holding still mid laugh let along mid leap any time soon. All you brilliant art people, please cut me a little slack for a first attempt from a person who always loses humiliatingly at pictionary.

Cut out your image, peel away the backing, and apply to wall. Ta da! Now I just need Tink... and Wendy.... and John and Michael... and a few Lost Boys... and.... and.... and.....

5 sprinkles of fairy dust:

How is that POSSIBLY a bad job done? It's gorgeous!! :D Love this.


This is AMAZING!!! Great job!

I have read that you can use fabric and starch for decals too. I have yet to try any of it.


This is great! Wow a really nice job.


OMW! I love it bets! so, so cute!
I can't get contact paper on right so I'm nervous to even try but I just might do it now that I've seen your amazing idea here.


It's wonderful!!! I think it's time you tried Pictionary again!