Windows - Seeing Double!

Let the transformations begin!  I have begun the window makeovers and am very pleased with the way the first one turned out.  The windows will be required to pull double duty for this project.  It will be like buy one, get one free  (BOGO!).

First I cleaned each with ammonia water.  These did not have loose paint and most of the hardware had been removed.

The first one is ready for its treatment.

The first supply needed is Krylon Looking Glass Spray.  It is pricy at Hobby Lobby ($9.95), but use your 40% off coupon.

I did not tape off the wood sections because I planned to paint the area later.  It is up to you.  Decide after you read this.

I applied three light coats with a drying time of one hour between coats.  It was early morning with low humidity.  I attempted this on the next window with high humidity and later in the day.  I will be doing that window again!

I did not want full coverage.  I wanted to have a color show through on the mirror side.  

Oh, I better tell you to spray the BACK of the glass.  The reflective surface will show through on the front of the window.  That is very important because the finish is easily scratched.

Here is the FRONT of the window showing the mirror-like finish.  I say mirror-like so you will not get your hopes up with just how reflective this is.  It has an aged look.  To be honest, I have never applied more than three coats of this stuff so if you continue to add coats you may achieve mirror-ness.  It probably tells that in the directions, but I have not yet read them!

This is the BACK of the window where I sprayed the mirror finish.  I painted over everything on the back with Folk Art Sea Mist craft paint.  I painted three coats.  This serves two purposes:  one, it covers the voids in the mirror finish and two, it protects it from scratches.

So, as long as I had to paint the back, I might as well do something back here!

These are the leftover images from the Graphics Fairy that were used for the flower cones project.

There are six panes in the window, but only three different Palmer's images.

I just mixed them up and Mod Podged them on the panes.  

Wait a minute - I left out a step.  I varnished over the paint three times with satin craft varnish.

Now Mod Podge those images on.  Thin coat on the back.  Carefully place on each pane. Lay a piece of waxed paper over them and gently burnish with a paper towel (or your finger -just do not rub too hard.  You will "starve" the glue by pushing it out from under the image.)

 

I used three coats of Mod Podge over the top  with a long drying time between to give it a chance to dry really well.

How pretty is this?  Now, don't look too closely or you will notice each flower was used twice!

Back to the front of the window.

I was lucky that when I began to sand, the white paint came off easily and revealed a soft yellow.  I left some white and in other areas I went all the way to the wood.

You can see the aged look of the mirror finish with some of the sea mist paint peeking through.

Here is an up close and personal look at the way the mirror turned out.  I left the sides raw wood.

Next I brought out my Howard's Citrus Shield dark oak wax.  I waxed both sides and all around the edges.  Since it was 104 degrees, applying the wax was super-easy.  Getting it to dry enough to buff was almost impossible.  I had to move inside and just hope clumsy me didn't drop dark wax on the rug for me and the dogs to track through the house! (Yeah, I didn't!)

For the final step I screwed two cup hooks to the top edge and attached a wire for hanging.

This is the front side - a distressed yellow window mirror.

This is the back side - a beautiful window decorated with flowers.

All you have to do when you get tired of one side is turn it around.

It is doing double duty!

Yes, I am not fooling you.  This is one window with two decorative sides!

Guess what?  I am planning another one with two sides.  Of course, it will be different.  I am tired of doing multiples of projects.  

On the house cleaning progress - Leia has a place to sit and work on arts and crafts projects.  She also has one-half of a twin bed to sleep on.  (Still working on that!)  Hope my other niece will come for a visit while the house is clean.  (Hint, hint, if you are reading this, O!)  Let me go back to work.

See y'all!


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Seeds To Storage

I love Fage Greek yogurt with the side container of honey to mix together.  Next I add sunflower seeds.  It makes the perfect meal or snack!

I have yet the find a purpose beyond paint pots for the yogurt containers, but I was dead set on using those sunflower seed jars.  Well, they are not really jars, but plastic containers that are not recycled here in our city - wrong kind of plastic!  (Isn't all plastic the wrong kind?)

Another pet peeve of mine is buying storage containers (I have scads) and finding out they do not suit the purpose.  They are not deep enough, too deep for the space, too narrow, the top does not stay on (personal pet peeve plus), or the corners are so rounded the storage area is reduced.  So the obvious solution was just find stuff around the house going to the recycle bin or trash and use it!  A DUH moment, for sure.  

I took the dog treat jug and used it for my spools of wire.  No picture - just a large plastic bottle!  I didn't even put a tag on it.  Can you believe that !?!

Next I went over to the Graphics Fairy and downloaded this circus ticket image (nine to a page) on regular white paper.  I know it looks faded.  

HINT:  When you are running out of one of the colors in your printer, print out images that would look good faded and distressed.  I use every drop of ink doing this.  I save these images until a project calls for a heavily distressed look.

Yes, I keep a roll of tickets.  Bought them at a yard sale years ago for a dollar and have used them on various things, but they seem to multiply when I am not looking!  I printed WASHI TAPE on the ticket.

Punched a hole in it.  I put double-stick tape around the jar and stuck the label on and tied the ticket on with jute.

The washi tape was the perfect fit.  The rolls are sorted by the way I use them.  This jar holds prints.  Someone last week had an excellent review of the different washi tapes.  I buy MT brand from Pretty Tape on Etsy.  I have bought from her for several years and have always been satisfied by the prices.  You will pay more for this brand than Tim Holtz or Michael's or Target.  I have found that like paint and paint brushes, the higher the price the higher the quality.  That being said,  I use the cheap stuff on things I know will be discarded and save the expensive tape for art projects.

They sit very patriotically awaiting their place on the shelf.

Actually, I cannot lie.  It took six of these jars to hold all my washi tape!

Can you guess what storage solution #3 is?

A two-liter soda bottle.  

I cut the top portion off.  Wrap a piece of wire around the top and secured it with brown duct tape.  The wire makes it sturdier.  I added another stripe of duct tape around the middle.  (Mainly because as I was cutting the top piece, I unrolled too much.  I did not want to waste it - this being a recycle post.)

I have spent the entire afternoon cleaning out one craft area and organizing things so I will not buy any more duplicates!  My niece is coming this weekend - I can't wait.  We are planning a girl's weekend of swimming, crafting, and watching scary stuff!  Now all she needs is a place to sleep - oh, no, more cleaning!

See y'all!


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