How to Decorate a Harp

You’re scheduled to play your harp at several different events. Besides just showing up and playing, you’d like to do something a bit special. How about decorating your harp to fit the event? You can wrap ribbons or flower garlands around the pillar for weddings or Valentine Day parties or use window film in the shape of Celtic knots or clover for St. Patrick’s Day. You can even attach strands of holiday lights. Decorating your harp will be a finishing touch that people will remember long after the event.

Things You'll Need

• Wide ribbon
• Bows
• Window film
• Cloth dampened with water
• Silk flower garlands
• Holiday garlands
• Metallic craft garlands
• Holiday lights
• Wire cutters
• Floral wire
• Floral tape
• Pipe cleaners
• Duct tape
• Scissors
• Pieces of flannel that match the color of the harp
• Double stick tape

Instructions

1. Collect different objects to use when decorating your harp. Include wide ribbon and bows, window film or stained glass, flower garlands, holiday garlands, metallic craft garlands or small strands of holiday lights. Having a collection of items will allow you to change the decoration on your harp to match the season or event where you are playing.

2. Wrap the pillar of the harp with wide ribbon for a quick decoration. Tie the end of the ribbon to secure it, leaving a long piece of ribbon. Attach a big bow to the ends and trim any excess.

3. 

   Use window film-or decals-to decorate your harp quickly and without much effort. Select the type that does not use adhesive. Designs without a lot of detail show up better on lighter colored soundboards. Cut the decals and arrange them on your soundboard until you have the look you want. Then, turn the film over and wipe the back with a cloth dampened with water. Lay the dampened side of the decal onto the soundboard and smooth out any wrinkles.

4. 

   Wrap silk flower garlands around the pillar of the harp. The cheaper garlands have little to no wire in the ‘stem’. Wrap the end of the garland around the top of the harp and secure it with a small piece of pipe cleaner or floral wire. Wrap the end of the pipe cleaner or floral wire with floral tape or duct tape to protect the harp from scratches. Depending upon the size of your harp, you might have to use more than one garland; attach with pipe cleaners or floral wire.

5. Use metallic garland to decorate the pillar of the harp, wrapping it the same way as the silk garlands. Cut small pieces of flannel, using the same color as the harp. Lay these pieces where the garland touches the harp to protect the wood from scratches. Secure the flannel to the garland with small pieces of double stick tape.

6. Decorate your harp with strands of holiday lights. How you use them will depend upon the length of the strand and the size of your harp. You can wrap them around the pillars or just run them up the pillar. You can also wrap them around a garland. You can secure them with ribbon, pipe cleaners or floral wire. Be sure to wrap floral tape or duct tape around the wire to protect the wood from scratches. Where you hide the battery pack will depend upon the size of the harp. If the strand is long enough, run it along the top of the harp’s neck and tuck the battery pack into one of the holes in the soundboard. Or you can cover the batter pack with a large bow.

Tips & Warnings

• Find out what the bride’s colors or flower selections are, so you can match the decorations for the wedding.

• If you are decorating your harp to play at an event, wait until you get to the location before attaching decorations. It will keep them from falling off or getting crushed.

• Go light on the 3 dimensional decorations for your harp; you don’t want them to get in the way of your playing.

Resources

• Harpy Music
• Window Film World