DIY Life

Most kids love to create things, especially if they can get the credit. Window clings are a fun and simple project for them to make and a lot of pride will go into telling everyone they know that they made them.

Window clings can be used for not only holiday decorating, but can be used to dress up mirrors, glass furniture, glass shower doors, and even the windows of your car.

Materials:

• White craft glue mixed with food coloring
• Pictures of the design pattern you want to make
• Transparency paper or clear page protectors
• Toothpicks
• Paper Towels

Steps:

1. Place the transparency paper or page protector over your chosen pattern. If you have a one of a kind picture, do not worry about ruining it, as the paint will not touch it. The picture is only a guide for painting, and will be protected by the transparency paper.

2. Choose a colored glue to outline your design. Shake the bottle upside down and tap it upside down on your work surface. This works well to get out any air bubbles so they rise in the bottle and don't splatter your paint.

3. Outline your design with the glue, coating thickly. Let dry for 2 hours. After glue is dry, take your other food color glue bottles and begin filling in the lines of your design, pressing gently. The paint should not be thick enough to create wet bubbles, which obviously will ruin your design, and does not allow the inner layer of paint to dry.

You can easily blend colors into each other where they meet by placing them side by side and using a toothpick to make small zigzag or circular motions. Continue until the colors blend into one and the lines blur. If you want to lighten a part of your design, then add tiny dots of white to the part you want lightest and begin by using the same zigzag and circular motions. You will be drawing the white color out and away from the point of origin until it is well blended.

4. Let your design dry for about 12 hours. After it is dry, your completed picture will peel right off the page protector background. It is now ready to stick to windows, mirrors or any other glass surface.

If at any time you decide to move your cling, be sure to do it in perfect weather conditions. It it is freezing outside, taking a blow dryer and heating up the cling and the window until the cling peels off will save your cling from cracking and destroying all your hard work.
On the other hand, if it is too hot outside, you can take a bag of frozen veggies or an ice pack and press it against the window cling for a few minutes. This will save the cling from stretching and tearing when you peel it off the window.

Does your little one have a favorite coloring book? If so, you now have a great idea on what to make for your first window cling, and the finished product can be attached to their window to match the rest of their room decor.