My Mistreated Window {and new obsession}

I hope that I can stay focused enough to finish this post with some coherency. Between preggy brain & my excitement I just don't know...oh look something shiny! Wait that's just my hair in horrible need of a shower. Yesterday I finally read a post & watched a video on Big Mama all about her mistreated windows and easy they were to do. Her post led me to The Nester's blog. And I fell in love. Not just with her mistreated windows but with her motto about homemaking & decorating and I quote, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful". So true and so simple and yet how many of us mom's strive for perfection.

In a conversation with my best friend today this came up. We all too often put pressure on ourselves, our spouses and our children to live up to some standard of perfection. They/we must always be all that we/they expect of them/us. Though, I would argue that the expectations we think they (spouse, children, friend) have of us is really our own expectations put on ourselves but we reason that it's not us it's them. Does that make sense? I think coherency just went out the window.

Speaking of windows. Along with Nester's motto that helped to refresh my perspective I was super motivated to finally treat my windows, er mistreat them. I say super motivated because I stalked scoured her blog yesterday and this morning I went to the store to hunt out a good deal on fabric, trim and get myself a glue gun. I'm 27 years old and have never had a truly 'dressed' window or owned a glue gun. The personal growth is astounding. After gathering supplies I did a little cleaning and got to work. Lydia was my little helper/company/endless talker throughout most of it and my husband gave me a few strange looks. At the end I'm very happy with the results and can't wait to share it with you. If I can do this, anyone can.

 

I must confess. Before going to the store I fretted over measurements...and at the store I was still fretting - I mean, what if I didn't bring home enough fabric? But then I remembered it doesn't have to be perfect and continued on. I was hoping to find a great pattern but the store I went to didn't have much selection and the patterns there wouldn't compliment my kitchen.

 

I have another confession. I hemmed the cut edges of my fabric. But in my defense it was fraying fabric, very fraying. One thing about the mistreated window idea I love is the fabric isn't custom fit to any window so if you move or change your decor it's much easier to use and reuse and re-purpose. How could I move it easily if it was fraying all over? Plus that could be messy  in the kitchen. So I dug deep and remembered all my grandmother taught me about sewing, then ignored half of it when I left the raw edges of the fabric raw. :gasp!: My hems were by no means perfect but that was okay because I knew they would be gathered up.

And here's my new glue gun. Rather than sewing the trim on it's hot glued and you can't tell the difference when looking at it. If someone were to come over and inspect my windows that closely I'll let them make treatments for the rest of my windows. I doubt that will happen and if it did I'm sure they'd stop complaining.

  

And this is just about the finished product. I say just about because I decided to add ribbon across the top and I'll add two more tacks where it's sagging. I'm also going to use her safety pin trick for the gathering and trim the excess ribbon. I can mistreat windows but there are some things my CDOness just can't handle. I do wish I had been bolder in my trim choice but like I said....I was fretting. The fabric, trim & ribbon cost under $20 for two windows - I only took a picture of one. The investment in the glue gun, glue sticks & tacks will be used for several mistreatments to come.

Yesterday we found out that it will be a little longer than I was obsessing over hoping to get into a new home with 4 bedrooms and other perks that our current home doesn't have. So rather than whine, mope and worry over it, changing nothing in the process; I resolved to enjoy and make the best of the home we are in. Nester's blog is filled with decorating ideas that I'm already making lists/adding to my lists of things to do around the house.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you also visit The Nester and maybe you'll be inspired by her motto, simple decorating ideas or both!

I can't wait to show you what I have in mind for some old plywood, paint and picture frames.