Windows, Windows and more Windows!

Hi!  I hope this post finds you all enjoying your day or evening with some relaxing time for you.  We all need some down time to give us the energy to be the best we can be during each day.  What do you do for your down time?  My relaxing time is when I can create.  It doesn't matter if I am scrapbooking, journaling, making home decor or sanding windows, that is when I re-energize. 

Speaking of windows (now wasn't that the corniest transition ever!!!), I love old windows.  There is something about an old window that enchants me.  I think of who looked into those windows before me and who looked out of them.  I wonder what person cleaned the windows (or didn't for that matter!).  I wonder what the house looked like that surrounded the window.  Do you think of these things or is it just me?  

I have had a six-paned window in my office for several years.  It had no glass so I hung it on the wall and put pictures right on the wall within each pane.  Recently, I decided to change things up as I have been purchasing more and more windows.  Here are some of the windows I have:

Ooh, on this one you can see that I have been spray painting with red next to these windows!

I have a small space at a boutique here in Arlington, Texas, called The Shoppes at the Brownstone Village.  I decided it was time to add windows to my space so I can share my love for them with those around me.  I have been buying them in pretty poor condition, and giving them some lovin'.  Practically what that means is first I power wash them.  Secondly, I sand them without taking away that old and vintagey look.  Next, I add D rings which are hanging hardware.  Fourth, I get the big bottle of Windex out and really clean them.  Finally, I either leave them as is or I decorate them with papers, pennants and the like.

There are so many things you can do with a window, even if there is no glass.  Here is a window I have in my office that the glass was cracked so I took out any agression I may have had that day, got a brick and had at it with getting the rest of the glass out.  Who needs to pay for therapy when you get to break a window!! 

This next window in my office is decorated with Heidi Swapp's Sugar Chic and Vintage Chic paper.  Shameless plug here:  did you know I sell Heidi Swapp's scrapbook products?  Check out my other posts  as she has some amazing products (Color Shine is a must even if you are not a scrapbooker).  She is also coming out with some new lines in March!  I am also going to be carrying Maggie Holmes' new line when it arrives on this Friday.  Yahoo.  Can't wait to see how her paper will look in some windows!!

I recently went "shabby chic" in my living room and here are two glassless windows that I just sit on my mantle.

The next window in my home has glass and is in my family room.  I am not finished with it yet as I am going to add a pennant (you will see a finished one later), but I couldn't wait to get this honey up on my wall.  I used Heidi Swapp's Vintage Chic line of paper.  I am not sure if you can see it or not, but on the top middle, there is a sheet of map paper which is one of my favs.  I also love that chevron paper below it.  Thanks, Heidi, for creating such great paper!

This window is a "fully decorated" one as I like to call it.  It has the fabulous Vintage Chic paper and a burlap pennant.  I decorated the pennant with more Vintage Chic goodness. 

 Here is a close up of the pennant.  I sewed around each burlap triangle, then sewed some seam binding on the top (I colored it with diluted Mint Green Color Shine).  I then added a Pink Paislee flower misted with Gold Lame Color Shine (can't get enough of that stuff!), followed by stapling some more seam binding in Mint Green and Gold Lame.  Next I used my silhouette to cut out the butterflies and topped each one off with a pearl.   Finally, I hot glued the pennant to the window and added the flower and seam binding on each end.

Here is another four-paned window that I used Heidi Swapp's Sugar Chic paper and Pink Paislee's London Market paper.

I decided not to add a pennant to this window which again uses Vintage Chic paper (that paper is just so perfect for these windows and keeps the color scheme neutral enough for anyone).  I like the more rustic feel of it and thought a pennant might take some of that away.  Who knows, I may change my mind by the time I finish this post!

Last, but certainly not least, is a window that once again the glass was cracked (another therapy session for moi).  I have never worked with chicken wire before and it was some experience.  Thankfully, I didn't get too many scrapes!.  I used about 200 staples with my handy dandy staple gun to tack the wire down and that baby is not going anywhere!

Thanks so much for stopping by and looking at my windows.  Drop me a note or send me a photo of any old windows you have in your home.  I would love to see them!  Blessings to you all!
Kathryn