Men: Here's a way to make Valentine's Day really special...

Hello all. Today, I would like to give some advice to the men.  As we all know, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. It’s that time of year to go all out and make a romantic gesture that couldn’t possibly be topped. Guys, do something extra special for that special someone! Go to www.walldecorplusmore.com and find a sticker that not only tells her how you feel, but shows her as well. Here’s an example:

This wall sticker is poetic, and you might get some brownie points for it. It lets the lady know that she is still loved, even if it has only been 6 months that you’re together or for 50 years. Every woman wants to know she is still at the top of her guy’s list.

Now, that was just one example. I have a few more up my sleeve. There’s the one that states, “All because two people fell in love.” Or for the boat lovers out there, “Anchor yourself to someone special”. And when she is a little crabby, or just not happy for some reason, present her with this one: “It’s the way you make me laugh, when I don’t even want to smile”.

 Now gentlemen,  to really make your special lady smile, you should apply the stickers for her. You'll need to know how to put the stickers up on the wall. This is actually very simple, but just check with her as to where she wants it to go :) Click here to learn how to apply: http://www.walldecorplusmore.com/how-to-apply/

This does include pictures just in case those are needed. Have fun with it! Show the lady that she really is the most special person in your life. Go all out, and shower her with chocolates, wine and flowers, or just a special gift from you. She won't believe how lucky she is to have a guy like you when you do just one or all of the above. She'll know she has the best man in the world when you do things for her just because you love her. 

Good luck to you, men, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Create a Relaxing & Romantic Bathroom

Valentine's Day is coming up and you may be thinking about creating a romantic bathroom for the occasion, but what about the rest of the year? We'll cover some romantic ideas later, but first -

Is your bathroom just a place to engage in the necessities or is it a relaxing haven where you can rest and escape - even for a few moments?

Creating a relaxing atmosphere doesn't have to be expensive. Here are a few ideas that hopefully will get your creative juices going. Take a look at your bathroom and see where you can incorporate some soothing decor.

Colors

Soothing wall colors aren't always toned down beiges, but you should choose colors in the same tones. Various shades of blues and greens would be more relaxing than a jarring red and blue color scheme.

Art

Now that you have the walls painted a soothing color, what are you going to put on them? Favorite art pieces would be nice, but how about a reminder of what you are there for? These wall stickers look like they are painted on the wall, but are easily removed.

Soak Your Cares Away Bathroom Wall Sticker

Relax Bathroom Wall Decal

Lighting

We need a lot of light when getting ready for the day, but when it's time to relax, what do you do?
Having something as simple as a dimmer switch would be helpful. Of course, candles are very romantic and are great to use anytime.
If you don't want to mess with candles, putting in a small lamp with low lighting can also achieve the same effect.

Scents

Potpourri and scented candles will generally do the trick here. Experiment with different products, but be careful the scent doesn't become too overwhelming.

Special Occasions

Valentine's Day deserves some special touches. Romantic ideas to consider:

• Rose petals strewn in the bath water or on the floor
• Champagne or wine with 2 glasses set up in a nice display
• Chocolate or chocolate strawberries 
• Small bouquet of fresh flowers
• Bubble bath or bath oils
• Luxurious towels or robes
• Romantic music

The right mood, a little imagination and taking the time to relax can make this a truly special & memorable occasion.

Home Decor Basics: Painting Tips

We all want our home to be a warm, inviting place, but before we start thinking about changing the decor, look the basic projects.  Painting the walls is the single most dramatic way to refresh or spice up your interior.

Painting doesn't have to be difficult.  With just a little planning and preparation, you can easily change the look of a room in a single day.

In this article, we are going to assume that you've done the hard part, which is deciding on color and type of paint. Don't be afraid to ask questions at your local paint or hardware store. 

Here are some painting tips that will have you becoming an expert in no time:

Assemble Your Tools

The painting supplies may vary from job to job, but the basic tools remain the same.

• Rollers, covers and extension pole
• 1 or 2 inch brush for cutting in and small work - slightly angled brushes work best
• Paint tray and liners
• Drop cloths and rags
• Painters tape - this is the blue tape
• Spackle paste and putty knife to fill in holes

Prepare the Room

Preparing the room will protect the furniture and flooring from a paint mishap and will ensure the finished product looks great and lasts long.

• Move all small furniture out of the room as well as all wall hangings, drapes, etc. 
• Remove all switch plates and hardware if possible.
• Use masking tape or plastic to cover anything you can't remove. 
• Small items (like screws) can be covered with vaseline or chapstick. Easily wiped up later.
• Large furniture items can be moved to the center of the room and covered with a drop cloth. 
• Tape off woodwork and make sure plastic dropcloths are taped down.
• Clean all surfaces as needed - mostly this is just dusting and making sure loose items are gone. 
• Apply spackle as needed to holes. Let dry. 

Painting

The typical order of painting includes "cutting in" or painting the edges about 2" deep, the ceiling (if you are painting it), the walls and then the woodwork.

• If you have a steady hand, using a stiff 2" brush can help you avoid using tape when you cut in, just make sure you have a damp cloth available for quick wipe-ups.
• Use long strokes at the end. Using short back and forth strokes can help get the paint on, but always finish with long, smooth strokes. 
• Only dip your brush about halfway in the paint to avoid clumping up the brush and ruining it.
• When painting with a roller, work in about a 3 foot section at a time, putting a W on the wall and filling in.
• Almost anything will look better with a second coat - even the paint says it's only one coat. 
• Make sure the paint is dry before applying the second coat. 

Here's a great video with more details on painting a room:

And for even more tips on painting:

47 Tips and Tricks for a Perfect Paint Job

Of course, the least fun part is the clean up and putting everything back, but once you're done, you'll love the results!

Remember to let a newly painted room dry or cure for at least 2 weeks before applying any Wall Stickers.
What a fun way to add "art" to a room - they come in 30 different colors and are easy to remove with ruining your wonderful new paint job!

New Year's Eve Decorating Ideas

Whether you throwing a large party or having a more intimate gathering with just a few close friends, you'll want to create a festive decor for this special time of year.  New Year's Eve is all about celebrating - out with the old and in with the new!

Here are some ideas to ensure your home decor makes your friends and family feel like celebrating.

First, decide on a theme. But before you do that, consider the types of guests you are having. It's pretty silly to have a fancy party if none of your guests likes fancy parties. But for those that do:

Elegant New Year's Eve Decorations

There are several ways to create an elegant atmosphere without spending a lot of money.
The easiest way is to create a mono or duo color theme - all white, all gold, all silver are always excellent choices, as is a black and white theme.

Stylemepretty.com

• Ribbons and streamers in the theme color add a festive touch.
• Accent candles can be accessorized with glitter that is spray-glued on.
• Vases or champagne flutes can be filled with silver or gold balls. 
• Champagne bottles can be glitterized
• Feature celestial balls made with styrofoam, glitter and spray painted toothpicks

For ideas, here is an elegant "Midnight Theme" party with black, blue and gold as the accent colors:
http://pizzazzerie.com/holidays/midnight-themed-new-years-eve-dinner-party/

And more ideas from Martha Stewart:
http://www.marthastewart.com/856543/decorations-new-years-eve/@center/859874/new-years-eve#273592

If your guests are a more colorful mix of fun-loving people, but not necessarily fancy, try some of

these ideas to spruce up your New Year's Eve decor:

• Balloons always add a festive touch, whether they are part of a color scheme or various colors. Consider adding some colorful circles to the ribbons hanging down.
• Circles, squares or other colored stickers are a fun addition to any wall. Easy to apply and remove, they add a festive touch. Here are 3 color circles you can order in any color and can mix and match the circles: Wall Decor Plus More
• Make some "countdown" glasses by putting numbers on the champagne glasses. 
• Don't forget hats and tiaras, horns and poppers! 

There are plenty of New Year's Eve decorating ideas at Pinterest. Just type in New Year's Eve decor.
Enjoy and have fun!

Removal of Wall Stickers or Vinyl Decals

We mixed the order up for this blog post a bit....  In the previous post, we showed you the new border we applied in our entryway.  But before that, we removed the Chevron stripes that were up (but never fully completed =().  Here is a picture of my girls eagerly helping...

**Caution:  Only show children how to do this IF they are old enough to know which stickers you want removed and which ones should stay up!

But I wanted to show everyone how easy the wall stickers remove.  It is a simple peel-n-remove method - just use a little fingernail grease.  You can see that no paint is taken off the wall or even stuck to the back of the wall sticker.  The paint type may change this and also how soon you applied the wall sticker after painting.  If wall stickers are applied before 2 weeks after painting, the removal CAN take paint off.

You may also use the hair blow dryer to remove wall stickers.  The heat will soften the sticker's adhesive, making it easier to remove.  **Another caution - the heat from the hair blow dryer can be HOT on your fingers too**

Patterns on the Wall... Using Wall Vinyl Stickers

Patterns on the Wall is another great way to decorate and is becoming a popular decoration theme.  Wall Decor Plus More announces a new item:  Teardrop Wall Sticker Shapes. 

We have ideas displayed here of one way to use them - to make a wall border.  Some other ways to use the Teardrop Shapes would be to use them as a stencil when you paint and remove them after.

There are 2 sizes to choose from - the ones shown are in the smaller 18pc package.  The larges ones would work great for decorating a entire wall!

The greatest thing about our Teardrop Wall Sticker Shapes is the simplicity!  Simply peel and stick them, as you like.

I found that the Teardrop Wall Sticker Shapes are a little forgiving when it comes to aligning them too.  If they aren't spaced exactly the same distance apart or in an exact level row, you can hardly notice it (which is a huge plus in my books!)

You CAN apply Wall Stickers to Textured, Knockdown Walls

We, at Wall Decor Plus More, did a test with wall stickers and rougher textured wall surfaces - this one is called knockdown texture.  We hear a lot of customer comments that they aren't able to use wall stickers for this reason.  Here are some tips and how-to's so that you CAN use wall stickers on your rough or textured walls:

1.  Purchase wall stickers that have bolder, plain print.  If your walls aren't as rough as the ones in the picture, you can get by with some cursive, script lettering; but generally the bolder, plain fonts are easier to apply.  The thickness of the lettering makes a larger sticker or more material to stick to the wall which allows it to stay on the wall better.

2.  Plan to have a lot of time and patience when applying the sticker.  If you work slowly and carefully, you CAN get the sticker applied.  The biggest challenge is getting the top tape layer off of the lettering.  Since the wall isn't a smooth surface, the stickers don't adhere perfectly.  At times you will need to place a letter by hand, if it gets moved accidentally - this is another reason why plain lettering is better than cursive, connected lettering.

3.  Firmly rub the wall sticker down with your fingers after you remove the tape.  You can see the slight curve in the "N" that came after we rubbed each letter good.  The sticker curved into a groove in the wall and that is good - you can only see it by looking very closely and it means that is stuck to the wall better. 

The size of this quote is a 23"W x 12"H approximately and we applied a Chocolate Brown sticker to a tan colored wall. View more wall stickers at WallDecorPlusMore.com.  If you aren't sure which sticker will be best for your textured wall, feel free to use the contact us form on our website.

These pictures were taken 2 weeks after the sticker was applied.  We wanted to be sure that the stickers STAYED on the wall - and they did!