First, a short tutorial on enlarging a pattern. I can’t paint freehand. I wanted to do a Fleur-de-lis , but didn’t want to try to do it without a pattern. I found an image online using google images. I printed it on card stock, and cut it out.
In this photo, you can see that I have the negative image suspended on a yardstick. I dug in the basement and found my mom’s old movie projector. I set it on a table and used the projection to display the image on the wall. I didn’t have any poster board, so I repurposed a large gift box as a stencil. I simply traced the image and cut it out.
I placed the cut out image on my window, taped around it and put some newspaper around it.
I spray painted the stencil and got this sort of lopsided Fleur-de-lis. 🙂 I touched up the original stencil and painted it again. I wanted to add a word at the bottom, and I decided to do Bienvenue. (welcome)
And THIS my friends is what happens when you spray paint outdoors on a windy day! I spray paint in an old carport where there is no wind. But being my impatient self, I set the window up against the garage so that it would dry quicker. I received a phone call and had to dash off to run an errand.
This is what I found when I got home! A VERY shattered and broken window! I was very, very sad! I worked oh so hard on this project. I did learn a lot about making a stencil, and cutting out the word, etc. The part that makes me the saddest is, this is the only window I had like this. (no divided panes) It was perfectly chippy too! All I can say is, I think I see a chalkboard in my future.
edited to add—you can see what I did with this window in my post Chicken Wire Memo Center
Dori says
October 11, 2009 at 2:45 pmThis happened to me too – except my husband did it. I was trying to give my friend one of our window panes. She happened to be our mail lady. Well, I had asked my husband to watch for her to come. He decided instead of watching, he’d lean it up on the mailbox. One gust of wind late – Voila!
Anyway, I just wanted to mention that you might measure your windown and call your local glass company to get a price. I talked to a lady who does windows for craft fairs, and she said it’s really cheap to replace. I didn’t totally believe her until we replaced a small window in our Vintage Airstream – it cost us $3.53 including tax! I know you’re probably not wanting a redo anytime soon with the cute project, but at least you can salvage the window, yet!
MotherhoodFilm says
October 11, 2009 at 1:33 amI really enjoyed looking around your blog! What great ideas!!
*Eliza’s blog*
Jill says
October 7, 2009 at 4:42 pmI’m so sorry!!! That kind of thing has happened to me too and you just have to say “oh well” but for a few moments—uuuuuhhhhggg!!
Diann says
October 7, 2009 at 5:18 amOh your window looked so beautiful. i would have been crushed to find it broken.
Diane@A Picture is Worth.... says
October 7, 2009 at 4:33 amSorry about your window!
Thanks so much for linking to 2nd Time Around!
Christina says
October 7, 2009 at 2:42 amGreat how to. Sorry the breaking happened-how disappointing. I loved it though.
Kimm at Reinvented says
October 7, 2009 at 1:41 amOh no, I’m so sorry that your project didn’t turn out how you’d hoped, but we all sure appreciate the tutorial! 🙂 Thanks for linking up!
Jody says
October 6, 2009 at 4:52 pmAww…that would break my heart too! Gorgeous idea though…thanks fo sharing the how to, and visiting my blog! I appreciate it!
Proper Prim says
October 6, 2009 at 1:41 pmI am so sad for you… I have the same kind of luck as you… I can just feel your disappointment… it was looking so good too… chalk it up to a really good experience…
Jessica says
October 6, 2009 at 12:27 pmHow sad! I bet it would have turned out so good! Better luck next time 🙂
Sheri says
October 6, 2009 at 11:37 amOh no! I hope you can find another window in one piece so you can create your design. It was lovely.
I have a linky party going you may want to link up: http://theshadesofpink.blogspot.com/2009/10/room-month-great-pumpkin.html
Anne~fiona and twig says
October 6, 2009 at 4:20 amThis is great and very timely…I have some burlap I’ve been wanting to stencil a fleur-de-lis pattern on.
Thanks!
Anne
Barb says
October 6, 2009 at 4:07 amthat’s great!!
thanks for sharing the idea. and how-to’s.
barbara jean
Vintage Dutch Girl says
October 6, 2009 at 2:47 amLooks GORG!
Delightful Dwelling says
October 6, 2009 at 2:37 amWow, it looks gorgeous! What a neat idea, thanks for sharing.