I love, love, love vintage windows. Especially the kind that don’t have dividing panes, like this one:
I picked up this little beauty on a birthday trip to Scott’s Antique Market last month. It’s an 1870’s bowed glass window, so it’s got this amazing arch to it. I also love the idea of vintage, hand painted window advertisements and this quick and easy project is a perfect marriage of the two loves. How romantical.
So, I’ve done this project several times and I’ve had only one massive fail (sorry Britto!). This is the part where I hope you can avoid my previous mistakes. Start by adding your hanging hardware. I know this is usually the last step but…
I helped my friend Brittany make one of these with her last name on it and she worked on it forever . She called me over to help her install the hardware and…. crack. The screw was too close to the glass and cracked the whole thing. So, be super careful, do this part first and then if you do happen to crack it, it won’t be after you spent an entire night working on the artwork.
After the hanging hardware was safely on the window frame, I grabbed one of my favorite vintage images from my typography board on Pinterest.
I measured my window and decided on the size of the graphic and then opened the image in Photoshop. I resized the image to the actual size I wanted it to be, aka super large, and then I flipped it horizontally to give me a mirror image . I saved the image as a .jpeg and then opened it in Paint. If you don’t have the basic Paint for Windows application, you just want to open it in an app that you know will print the image at actual size rather than shrinking it down to fit a page.
Scale the image to 100% normal size and print. Check your print settings and do a fast/grayscale setting so you save some ink.
Next I trimmed up the paper and pieced it together…
… and then taped it face down onto the front of the window….and then took a blurry photo of it. 🙂
Next, grab a glass of whisky, turn on RHOA, snuggle into your recliner and get to tracin’ those letters. I used a $3.97 paint pen from Hobby Lobby, I think the brand was Tree House.
Make sure that you work across the window in a way that will keep you from planting your wrist on a section that was recently painted, you’ll end up with all kinds of rando paint smudges. One of the great things about this is that if you do mess up, the paint will scratch right off with a finger nail when dry (which is also why it best to paint it on the backside of the window).
So simple.
Before you go batsh!t about the word “cocoaine” in there, look up the history of medicinal cocaine and get back to me.
Such an easy project that makes a huge impact on an otherwise empty wall. You can personalize these things in tons of ways or hit the internet to find your favorite vintage image to use.
OCD Cleaning Bonus: Since the painting is on the backside of the window, you can just Windex your little heart out on the front side with zero risk of mucking up your super profesh hand lettering.
Linking up here.
dena@heartsandsharts.com
Fantastic! I love this idea… and boy you have a lot of patience! 🙂
If by “patience” you mean whiskey and trash TV to watch while I’m doodling, then yes, I have tons of “patience”. Thank you, Susan!
I LOVE this! It turned out amazing. And what an awesome find at Scott’s!
Thank you, Erin! Now that I found the Garden Section at Scott’s, I LOVE it. Not so impressed with the indoor stuff.
Dena, this window turned out awesome!!! Pinned 🙂 Thanks for sharing it over at the Makers and I hope you have a great weekend!
Thank you so much, Katie!
Oh my goodness, this is such a cool project! I LOVE how it turned out Dena, it is beautiful. The perfect touch of something antique yet chic.
Thanks for linking up with us at The Makers link party! 🙂
Thank you, Ursula! So glad you’re a part of The Makers now! (It’s my fav, shhh)
love love love this! You are so inspiring – want one!!!!!
Thank you, Suzanne! Make one!! It’s super easy!
i didn’t go batsh*t cocaine was used in every thing way long ago, i love that graphic this whole project is way cool xx
Hhahaha! Thank you, Chris. Er, Monkey? 🙂
The window looks FANTASTIC! What a wonderful job! Just pinned 🙂
Ow Oww! Thank you, Denise!
Love this I just absolutely love this sight, I am so glad I subscribed have no regrets it makes my day and week pray for me moving have lots of projects I want to do for my new place.
Florence
Oh, girl. Gotcha in my prayers, moving is TOUGH WORK! Thank you so much, Florence!
Loooove. So fun. I’m a sucker for a great tracing project… makes you feel super profesh. 🙂
Thanks, C! 🙂
My husband bought one of these from you in Wylie, TX. We love it. We hung it in our half bath/laundry room.
Yes!!! Thank you! Hope you guys are doing well!!
so cute!
Thanks, Hong!
LOVE this!!!! I picked up a window on the side of the road a few months back – may try this out!!!
On the side of the road?! LUCKY! (see what I did there?) Thanks, Candace! Hope all is going well for you!!
wow, super creative!! PINNING
Thank you so much, Christine!