MIMI-TORIA"S DESIGNS ONLINE Square Market Online Store

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Tutorial - Transforming a Window into a Business Sign

Welcome to my window transformation tutorial.  I will show you how to take an everyday tossed aside window and turn it into something once again useful and functional.
This is the finished sign.  I am a jewelry designer that recreates with vintage elements and was in need of a sign for my business when I do special events.  I will be participating in an upcoming event called AA/JMS here in Minnesota next week, with Sue Whitney, aka Junk Market Style owner.  I did a post about it here.  So when I found this great window at an occasional sale store, I knew I had to have it for this re purposing.
My window in its before state.  Loved the 4 slats of glass and thought words when I saw it.
I took extra foam core from another project and cut it into 4 strips to fit inside of the window panes.
At JoAnns' I found the perfect material for this project.  Kind of an oatmeal color with flecks of neutrals in it for texture, but yet smooth enough to paint on.  Used a 50% off coupon for the fabric and bought extra to also make some jewelry frame boards with the same material.
Tools of choice...paint palette, acryclic black paint, paint brush and stencils of choice.
I taped my stencils together to spell out my words ahead of time with masking tape and than made sure I had them even before starting to paint the letters.  I also taped this word down to the material to keep it in place.
It was time consuming, as I've a tendency towards perfectionism sometimes, but well worth the time and effort.  I didn't have any over runs of paint under letters, etc., which can happen if one rushes a job such as this.
My sign with just two of the sections completed.
Each of these panels fit in tightly, so they just pop in from the back side.  I however chose to carefully tack the individual panels in better with small nails.  I also trimmed off the excess material on the edges of the back panels too, which I do not have a photo showing.
Here's the sign hanging in our home, so that I could take a photo of it.  I am considering making four more panels with French words or something else that I like and use it in our home like that,  in between the special events that I would just normally get to use the busines sign for.  Just a thought!
Here I have the sign up at the AA/JMS event and waiting for the rest of my props and jewelry to get put together too.  I have a sale this Friday and Saturday at our French Flea shop, and than can get set up totally at the AA/JMS event for the May 5-9 sale.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and it maybe gave you some inspiration of what to do with a window you may have laying around the garage or basement.
Here is another window idea I did for our cabin decor with a six pane window.
I'm linking up today with:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm 
Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage
White Wednesdays at Faded Charm Cottage
Its so Creative Mondays at Its So Very Cheri

17 comments:

  1. A perfect sign for your lovely's!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great idea.....thanks for sharing. Hope you can stop by my blog and become a follower too! Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice job. Happy NTT. Be blessed. Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  4. love it...great to create something new out of something old...
    http://chambersmade.blogspot.com/2010/04/oopsturnedawesome.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a wonderful idea. It turned out great. I will have to be on the look out for old windows. Thanks for the idea. Have a great day.

    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  6. What an adorable sign! and how nice -- a creative sign, for a creative business! so fitting.
    Cass

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a fabulous use of those separate window panes! I love this. I woudn't have thought to use it for a travelling sign. Brilliant idea!

    Donna
    http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very clever ideas. those windows have a great use and the second one is so sweet. Who thinks of these things? Someone clever like you. Good job.
    Hugs, Jeanne

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love it! absolutely delightful! so vintage-y and full of charm!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Gretchen, Thank you for stpping by my blog and for the sweet comments. I got the rub-ons at Wal-Mart but I have also seen them at Michaels crafts.

    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  11. What another great new life for an neat old painted window! The way you made it removable, you could even change it with the seasons if you wanted ...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Awesome THRIFTY sign...thanks for linking up to NTT!

    Blessings,
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  13. You did a fabulous job on your window sign. Very creative and it really looks sharp and unique.
    Blessings, Nellie

    ReplyDelete

I am so thankful you took the time to let me know what you think about what I write and for taking the time to share your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog. :)

Mimi-Toria's Design Jewelry Style