Vintage Window Redo

My husband surprised us with a trip to the beach this summer!  I love the beach....it's one of my happy places.  We took our 3 year old daughter for the first time, and she loved it!  Although that was 3 months ago...she wakes up every day and asks to go to the ocean.

Anyway, the point being I took a beautiful landscape picture that I wanted to enlarge and put up in the master bedroom.  That way, when I put myself in "mommy time out" I can look at my happy place.  I didn't want to put it in a cheesy frame, but at 24" x 36" the picture is enormous and could only find ugly, thin, black, poster frames.  I had the genious idea of wanting it to look like we were looking at it out the window....(wishful thinking).  I found the perfect sized window frame for $5.00...sweet! 

I fantasized that this window is originally from an 1800's victorian house. Now back in reality, the house down the street probably had their windows replaced and I got a "throw out". 

After I got it home...I realized it stunk, it was crazy dirty, and I think there were things living in it that I really didn't want to investigate further.  So I ran across the street and borrowed my favorite tool in the world.  The Pressure Washer.

Pressure washing took off most of the paint, the old caulk and glazing, and no creature would be able to live on it when I was done!

Most of the glass panels came out easily and I scraped the rest of the "gunk" from the frame of each panel.  If you want your glass in one piece, DON'T FORCE THE GLASS PANELS OUT!

I'm not sure what happened to the next photos...so I'll have to walk you through it. 

I white washed the window frame with 2 coats of watered down white acrylic paint.  Then "distressed" it to look old and beachy with sandpaper and "old dirt" colored paint. (Mixed brown and gray=dirt)  Basically, I wanted it to look like the first picture only without the lead paint, and little creatures.   

I cut the 24"x36" poster into 8 pieces that snuggly fit into each frame.  I dabbed E6000 in the corners and lip of the frame to hold the picture pieces in.

And now....It looks like I will have a beach view from my bedroom.

 (Even though the beach is 5 hours away)

"My only care is if the tide will reach my chair"

Monogrammed Anniversary Gift

I needed a thoughtful, last minute (I had 4 hours) gift for some good friends celebrating their anniversary.  I always have a problem coming up with ideas for anniversaries...I'm not sure why!  Of course, I am TERRIBLE at remembering my own anniversary.  My poor hubs knows I won't remember...every year...how sad.  I have too many crafty projects in my head to remember dates.
Anywhoo....
So with a quick shopping trip to Hobby Lobby I came up with a few ideas.  First was a 3D canvas with chipboard letters, all painted in Heirloom White.  Classy, Simple, right?  Well, that is sooo not my style!  I also picked up a 12 x 12 scrapbook page frame ($10 but had 40% off coupon!), the most inspiring scrapbook paper I just had to have, and a large wooden initial ($1.99). 

After playing around with the supplies this is what I did:
I whitewashed the frame with 2 coats of watered down white acrylic paint.

Painted the wood initial with a sky gray acrylic paint on the sides, and an awesome red for the front.
Then I used spray adhesive to glue the scrapbook paper to the cardboard backing piece from the frame.
(sorry no pics of those steps, like I said, I was trying to hurry)
Once the paint was dry, I glued the initial to the scrapbook paper, and placed that in the frame.  I am not blessed to have a fancy machine that cuts all sorts of fabulous stuff (yet...Christmas is coming).  So I was digging through my box of embellishments and found some Love themed Rub Ons....This was a procrastinating girls best friend.  I added the words...together....FOREVER.   (awwww).

Made a loop with ribbon I had around the house, added a little bow, and hot glued a plastic flower in the corner. It was a big Hit!!!
 Don't you just love the scrapbook paper background?  I had to buy it as soon as I saw it....Now I have to make one for me!