Stained Glass Window

A few years ago my mother-in-law took up stained glass as a hobby. When we moved into the house she generously offered to make us a stained glass piece for our upstairs window. After picking out a pattern and selecting the glass (wow, who knew there were so many different kinds?!), she went to work...and boy did she work!

This week she and my father-in-law came over to install the window. When I came home and saw it, it literally took my breath away. It is amazing! And, let me tell you, this was no small undertaking. The window is about 5 1/2' by 3'. It is a remarkable gift.

I am in LOVE with the finished product! It's gorgeous and, as a practical matter, provides us with some much needed privacy (this window is in Mr. Mel's closet).

Let There Be...Shade?

I love the big windows in my bonus room. The abundance of light they let in is so, so delightfully *blinding*! Time to get some light control in this room! Before I show you the after, I am sharing with you my current redneck-esque window treatments. Ready? They are pretty sad:

Check out my designer hardware...3M hooks, baby!

Oh yes, and the best part...the swags held in place with dental floss! Just lovely!

I picked up some bamboo blinds for these windows, at a total steal ($180 for all 5 of them, even Mr. Mel was impressed), and brought them home giddy to put them up. Just to be safe, I decided to Google the best way to install blinds in vinyl windows...only to find out that it's actually something that is *not* recommended! Uh, oh. I emailed the manufacturer who told me that, if I drilled through the vinyl jamb, I would void my window warranty!

Hmmm, toughie. I called several blind companies, none of whom had a product that would use anything other than screws to install their products. So, I sucked it up and decided to just do it. My fingers are crossed that I never have an issue with my windows...but I think it was worth it.

 

Next up...curtains!



Topping it Off

It's time to dress my kitchen window. I figured a simple valance would be best.

I am quite proud to say that every thing I used for this project were scraps or leftovers (I *knew* being a packrat would pay off someday). It took me less than an hour to whip this up, but it makes a HUGE difference.

I started by cutting the fabric I'd need, just a simple rectangle, I added extra so it would have a swag effect. I highly recommend a rotary cutter if you plan to do any sewing projects, they make quick work of cutting fabric. I lined the orange fabric with a funky quilted remnant I've had for years (in a previous life, this fabric was used on bedroom toss cushions). I didnt have to line this valance, but I figured I may as well...while I was at it. I pinned the fabrics together along each edge, with the right sides together. On the bottom edge I used some cording, on the top I used loops of ribbon - make sure to pin this *between* the fabrics.

I sewed around each edge, leaving a small part open at the top so I would be able to turn this piece right-side-out, then you can sew it closed.

If you don't want to sew the trim/edging on, go ahead and grab the glue gun...it works like a charm!

To hang it, I evenly spaced 4 nails on the wall. Then I hot glued decorative buttons onto the heads of the nails. Voila!

Total cost = zilch!

Third time's the charm

After shelling out for the living room drapes, sewing the bottom panels on for additional length, and hanging them I decided that I was going to take a break from curtain selection for awhile. The idea of stressing out for one more minute about window coverings was going to drive me bananas, moreso (wink wink).

Unfortunately, the time has come to select drapes for the dining room. I needed to buy something that, at the very least, co-ordinated with the curtains hung in the rest of the main floor. Off I went to Pier 1 to see what they had. On the first trip I hit gold (or so I thought). I picked up two of these babies and brought them home.

They. Looked. Terrible. Even Mr. Mel whose taste, to borrow one of my dad's favourite phrases, is all in his mouth *hated* them. He cocked his head to the side, mumbled of something I couldn't make out, and I knew that they wouldn't be staying. Off I went to make an exchange...and picked up a pair of these:

I was so sure, so cocky about my selection that I didn't even entertain the idea that Mr. Mel wouldn't go for these...until he took a look at them and said simply, "Terrible". Yep, back to Pier 1 (and this time made sure to bring the opinionated husband with me)...and finally found a winner. I decided to sew additional length onto these panels in this fun fabric my nephew picked out.

I am really pleased with how they turned out, and Mr. Mel is finally happy too!

Here is the breakdown of costs for this project:

$79 for curtains

$54 for curtain rod

$13 for fabric

Total Cost = $ 146

Coming up short

I should have known this was going to happen. After sewing every curtain and cushion in my previous home, I swore up and down that I wouldn't do a single sewing project at the new house. I spoke too soon. A curtain mis-calc on my part, has resulted in drapes 10" too short for my windows! Duh!

I needed to make this fix as basic as possible. I made a quick trip to the fabric store and found a great co-ordinating fabric and simply sewed it to the bottom of each curtain panel. Mr. Mel requested that they puddle at the bottom (a look I am not particularily fond of). He asks for so little, how could I refuse his request?

Here they are before:

Ta da...Mr.Mel is so thrilled to have these up. He thinks our house now looks "warm". That's a good thing, right?

Here is the breakdown of costs for this project:

$280 for 8 curtains panels
$32 for fabric
$2 for thread
Total Cost = $314

Woo! It's good to have friends in high places!

...And by high places, I mean up north.

I have had no luck tracking down the Pier 1 'Stockton' curtain panels I wrote about in my previous post. I have been making so many trips to the local Pier 1 store to peruse their selection that I am sure the staff believe that I suffer from some sort of mental disorder.

Anyhoodles, after venting to Mr. Mel today about my frustration at the lack of window treatments...and lack of cash available to me to indulge in some fancy shmancy silk drapes, he did the only thing he could do: he got on the phone to a store three hours north and had them put six panels on hold, and then called his friend who lives there to ask if he would go and pick them up for us!

I can't wait to hang them in my living room.  I will finally be able to get some darn privacy from the constant looky-loos!

It figures

I have always swooned over silk drapes. All you have to say is "Dupioni" and my heart skips. There's something so luxurious and dramatic about them. They remind me of ballgowns, and what better than to have ballgowns hanging in a room?! ha ha! I have always longed for floor length, buffalo check, dupioni silk drapes. Always.

Sadly, at $300/panel, my budget doesn't allow for such extravagance. Because our main floor is, essentially, one big open space, I wanted to do the same window treatment on each window and door - which meant that need a total of 8 panels. After many many days of searching, I finally found what I was looking for at Pier1 Imports for the bargain price of $31/panel:

Just my luck, they are sold out! They don't anticipate getting them restocked for another two months. Bummer. Damn this teeny weeny budget of mine!