Imaginative Murals

I'm so excited that you chose to decorate with one of my murals. Thank you. This one is for all the little girls who dream of being ballerinas just as I did as a child. Using paint or paper, you could cover the wall using one of the pastel colors in the mural. I think I used about all of them so you have lots of choices. The murals can be adhered to wallpaper and many related patterns and border trims already exist. They also work great on a smooth, painted wall. Faux treatments are so popular now and would be a lot of fun to incorporate into the theme. Refer to the many How-To books available at retail or the library. If your walls are textured, consider adhering the mural pieces to matte board or thick paper and cutting it out. Ask your local wall treatment specialist for the best way to attach it to your particular type of wall. Your options may include nails, brackets, velcro or adhesive tabs. You can create your own borders using stencils and stamps. If you don't find what you want, make your own. An easy one would be to stencil swagging ribbons (Fig. 1) held up by bows. Little pastel flowers could be added around the bows. I also like the idea of using real tulle, that soft netting used on tutus. You could swag it along the top of the wall. Every few feet, gather it and place a bow (Fig. 2). You could even add ribbons swagged with the tulle or hanging from the bows.

My sister created a product, the EZ BowMaker, that really does make creating bows easy. You can find it at most craft stores. So many tools exist on the market to help create whatever look you want.

Beautiful bedding is available at stores or make simple bedding fanciful by adding gathered tulle to the dust ruffle. The ballet mural can go over the bed or elsewhere in the room if you would like to do another decorative treatment to the bed like this one (Fig. 3). Again, using a long piece of the tulle and/or another fabric, you can drape it from a simple or decorative bracket. Lots of variations exist or make up your own.

If your child is presently attending dance classes, you could hang a shelf with a coat rack underneath from which you hang her costumes and shoes. The ballet slipper mural would look nice on top or the curtsying ballerina perched on the shelf.

The ballet slippers mural can be used above a headboard or in place of a headboard. It can go above a door, over a mirror or a picture. You might try placing the curtsying ballerina on a nick-nack shelf, bedside table or dresser drawers. Place the main ballet collage where you would like to create a focal point in the room.

Well, I'm sure you'll come up with a lot of your own decorating ideas for your little prima ballerina. If you get a chance, write or email us with your ideas and results. We'd love to hear from you.

Sincerely,
Trish Selgrath