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oceanna_gw

Stained Glass (GG) Window in Place

oceanna
15 years ago

Well, sort of. I shinnied up to the highest step (shudder) of my step ladder with this thing balanced on my head, and managed somehow to get it propped up in the transom. Now I just hope there isn't an earthquake between now and when my son gets over to anchor it down good. I couldn't reach the lace draperies to take them down; I'll have to get him to do that.

I think I'm done -- unless you or I see something that could be improved?? I took two shots -- one from almost head on and the other from an angle so as to skirt around the chandelier.

Again, I'm sorry but it's so hard to photograph windows!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Can it be improved? Does it work there?

Comments (54)

  • hellpaso
    15 years ago

    how gorgeous!!! take a pic from outside!!

  • jerseygirl_1
    15 years ago

    Absolutely gorgeous!

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks everyone! Yes, Jen, you are welcome to use the design for your next tattoo on the condition that you post a picture here. :)

    Good question about outside. As I thought, you don't see it much during the day. I'll have to back-light it tonight and take another pic from outside. Please pardon the ladder in the sidelight, and the white box in the LR window that I'd had this propped on, and wave hi to my little sweetie Wheatie Daisy in the LR window watching me take pictures. :)

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    Now, as to what a hummingbird will see, that's anyone's guess. Does anyone here see hummers attracted to their stained glass windows?

  • trailrunner
    15 years ago

    That turned out beautifully. You have so MUCH talent. c

  • christina923
    15 years ago

    OMG!!!!!! it came out so beautiful!!!!
    and i kinda like the curtain there with it!

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks, Trailrunner! I think maybe it's good old fashioned perserverence, lol.

    To those of you who suggested a butterscotch or tortoiseshell border, I did try. I just didn't like it when it was done. It seemed too dark and heavy for the feel that I wanted.

    So I cut and peeled it all back off and replaced it with the turquoise slag glass, which I think has more of a whimsical feel, and which I've always loved in the antique slag glass lamps like you see on eBay...

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    Here is another lamp and this has both colors of slag glass in it...

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    Here's what my window looked like with the golden border...

    {{!gwi}}

    I felt that switching it back to the turquoise slag glass lightened up the feeling.

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks, Christina!

    You think I ought to leave the curtain? Should I paint the wood around the window white? Should I take the curtain down and then beef up the wood around the window?

  • cliff_and_joann
    15 years ago

    It looks gorgeous, I would take down the curtain and beef up the wood...again gorgeous.
    Joann

  • Valerie Noronha
    15 years ago

    Ok, I found it. It turned out just stunning and I think you were right about switching to the turquoise border. The gold is also very pretty, but gives a very different feeling. Personally, I'm not too much in favor of the swag. Let your pretty glass have nothing to detract from it! You are so very talented.

  • kitchenkelly
    15 years ago

    Lovely!!!!

  • mahatmacat1
    15 years ago

    Beautiful :) Honestly, either edge looks fine to me so the artist should go with the one she vibrates best to :)

    A hearty vote for *no swag*. It is its own decoration--let it stand by itself.

  • roguevalley
    15 years ago

    No swag - your creation is just too amazing and stands on its own.

  • mry193
    15 years ago

    Oceanna, you can't see but I am giving you a standing ovation!! clap! clap! clapclapcalpclapclapclappppp !!!!

    It looks beautiful! I like the lighter border better also and agree ... no swag ... nothing to detract! Also voting to 'beef up the wood'!

    Can't wait to see how it looks at night with the back lights. Lucky Neighbors!!

  • jan_in_wisconsin
    15 years ago

    It's a stunning piece. You're so talented! It looks great there!

    Jan

  • brutuses
    15 years ago

    You go girl, that's gorgeous. I also think that swag is not needed. Your talent takes the stage.

  • reeree_natural
    15 years ago

    Oceanna
    holy cow! That is gorgeous!!!!!! you always amaze me!
    Ree

  • Pieonear
    15 years ago

    Wow! It's beautiful and your talent amazes me!

  • n2cookin
    15 years ago

    Oceanna, it's absolutely stunning! Love those colors! If I only had 1/8 of your talent...

  • funkyart
    15 years ago

    Great job! It looks great-- your neighbors must all be buzzing!

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks everyone! :Okay, I'll take the curtains down and hope I can get my son to help me with the wood trim around the window on the inside.

    Here's a couple of pics I just took outside with my entry hall light on at night... yeah, I still need to put the ladder away. I'm pretty excited about how this looks!

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    Sooner or later the neighbors will see it back-lit and notice, I suspect. I'm just not sure they'll notice it in the day.

    Should I take down the arch over the door? Or leave it because it lifts the eye up?

    .

  • neetsiepie
    15 years ago

    Ohhhh mayun!! Your neighbors are going to be sooo jealous! That is stunning, especially backlit at night.

    Yes, I'd remove the ornamentation over the door. There isn't a problem bringing the eye up.

  • funkyart
    15 years ago

    I think the arch needs to come down-- unless it really adds to the curb appeal in the daytime. I think it distracts from the gallery glass and it throws off the balance.

    Looks spectatular with the backlighting. Love the glow!

    You really will be the talk of the neighborhood.

  • trailrunner
    15 years ago

    OK since you and I are the only ones up..that just looks so wonderful. You have such an eye for design and then execution . I think the beefing up of the wood is good and no swag also. Personally I can't imagine how it could look any more fantastic than it does at "the witching hour". You done good. c

  • mahatmacat1
    15 years ago

    Um, the eye is lifted up by that GORGEOUS thing directly above the little thing over the door. The little thing over the door just looks sad there now. You've moved on to bigger and better entry decor :)

  • lynn_r_ct
    15 years ago

    I'm still up too ladies. Oceanna, gorgeous. I too live in a raised ranch - don't have the window though. If I did I would be begging you to come to my house. How beautiful it is when it is lit. Fabulous job.

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks, friends! I'll take the arch down. I want to paint the door red anyway, like in the mockups Squirrel did for me.

    Okay now you all need to do your own! :D If you don't have a transom, then do a sidelight, or do your living room window. It can be as simple or elaborate as you want.

  • mry193
    15 years ago

    BEAUTIFUL!!! Love it!!

    and I agree with flyleft:

    "Um, the eye is lifted up by that GORGEOUS thing directly above the little thing over the door." :D

    Maybe some very generous soul will photoshop in a red door for you. I'd love to see that!

  • parma42
    15 years ago

    I'm happy you will be taking the arch down. No need to have clutter distracting the eye from the prize.

    IMO, a few large pieces in decorating look so much better than many small ones scattered about. Especially when working with a great deal of height. Unfortunately for many (myself included), five small objects are usually less expensive than one that is large.

    With the door painted and the arch removed, your entry will be stunning.

  • no_green_thumb
    15 years ago

    Congrats!! That is beautiful. Isn't that the ultimate high when you finally finish!! And once it is up there permanently, please just enjoy. Don't "woulda, coulda, shoulda". I am finally learning not to do that. It's hard to explain how much effort we can put into a project, how much tenacity it takes. ------
    and what is sooooo exciting is that you will learn something new with every project. Personally, I could never do the same thing twice. I want to learn something new each time.
    I was buying yarn a few weeks ago and a lady was buying a bunch. She said she only makes "dishrags". She crochets them and sells them for a dollar. Now, if that makes her happy, that's fine. But it's not me - and I don't think you either, Oceanna. You want to keep on moving.
    But also remember not to go back. Finish a project, learn from it and go onto the next.
    I truly admire your creativity as well as that of so many others on this board. I wish I had more to contribute. I am very good at learning the mechanics, hopefully helped the person who was trying to make a pillow, but I missed out on the creativity gene!
    What is your next project??????????????????????????
    Keep us posted!!

  • texanjana
    15 years ago

    Oceanna-

    That is just beautiful. You are so talented!

    Jana

  • estreya
    15 years ago

    Oh my gosh. That looks AMAZING with the chandelier lit behind it in the evening. Have you noticed many cars slowing down as they pass your house at night? I'm guessing you have ...

    Beautiful. Blessed with great talent, you are ...

  • decorpas
    15 years ago

    WOW. that is soooo gorgeous! What a wonderful piece of art! way to go, Oceanna:-) Get ready for the orders to pour in. um, speaking of that....are you going to give GG classes?

    BTW, you had mail a few days ago!

  • lynninnewmexico
    15 years ago

    Oceanna, what a beautiful, welcoming window you have there now! It's just lovely and so is your home. Did I miss something? Are you planning on painting the door and garage door now,too? As for the half moon scrollie, I agree that it can go now that your window is in place.
    Cute doggie in the window, too!

  • roguevalley
    15 years ago

    Oh man Oceanna - that is KILLER at night and backlit!

  • johnatemp
    15 years ago

    Oceanna,
    You know you have to leave your hall light on everynight now when you go out so you can drive up and see your way, way gorgeous glass!! (was that a run on sentence??!!)

    You are so very talented!! Not anywhere in the South are you? I'd hire you in a heartbeat to do one for my masterbath. And you love Wheatens, too:)

    Smiles:)

  • last_mango
    15 years ago

    Fabulous! (I did a search on "gallery glass" the other day since I hadn't looked here for a while - I just had to see if you had put it up yet). I'm glad I caught the post. It's really lovely!

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you, all of you, for your very sweet comments. You don't know how good they make me feel! :D

    I was thinking the arch might lift the eye up during the day when the window isn't lit. I spoke with two neighbors outside doing yard work today and neither of them had even noticed it. lol I don't think anyone will unless they see it lit up at night.

    Johna, I'm tempted to leave the light on at night for a week or to to see if the neighbors will notice at least. I'm a bit south of Canada, does that help? In the Seattle area. Well, now we know we both have fabulous taste in dogs, right? ;)

    Squirrel graciously photoshopped my house with a red door in THIS THREAD and I intend to do her color scheme... leave the body color, do the red door and the greener shutters, and maybe wood-tone my garage doors. But at night the red door won't show up and in the day the window won't show up.

    NoGreen, I'm looking up there now and seeing smudges I wanna take the Windex to. hehe I doubt I got a creativity gene as that took me days of hard work to come up with, not a natural born talent! But yeah I like to do something a little different every time because of the learning. Don't have a next fun project right now because the un-fun jobs are piling up in the wings.

    Decorpas, I've thought about giving GG classes as a possibility, thanks. I have only had one mail from you and I answered it. Did you not get my answer? Awww, thanks about my old Daisy girl in the window. She's the one who had a breast cancer lump removed a few months ago.

  • justgotabme
    15 years ago

    Oceanna, it looks beautiful! I've had plans to do all our arched windows, the front fullglass entry door and it's sidelites since before we moved here over four years ago. I have yet started a one of them. After seeing your gorgeous window I just may have to squeeze in the time and start, at the very least, designing them. Your's is quite and inspiration!

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Gota, that's wonderful to know! I really hope to inspire some here to do this. It's certainly satisfying. If I can help you in any way please let me know.

  • decorpas
    15 years ago

    Classes- that would be great! and teaching doesn't strain the back as much, either:-)

    I got your email and I replied right away! I'll resend it.

    This is really so gorgeous....I love the way it looks at night, all backlit-- WOW.

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm having some thoughts about classes at Michaels... I should check with them about if I'd make enough $ to make it worth my while. The other thought is giving them at my home, but then advertising becomes an issue.

    Thanks -- I love the way it looks at night too.

    Yay -- now I see a reply from you and will be able to reply back.

    My son is on his way over... as usual it's "hit and run" with him and he's already trying to wiggle out of doing the window until some nebulous future date. sigh

  • Valerie Noronha
    15 years ago

    oceanna: There was an article in my local newspaper a few days ago about this lady that specialized in making Victorian lampshades. She also started giving classes in her home and sells a kit with the lesson so that you basically make the lampshade in her class. She said she does it in her formal dining room and serves her customers tea and they all sit and chat and sew. It sounds like such a neat idea. I bet you could do something similar--via a combo of classes for the DIYs and custom jobs for people who don't have the time or talent for it. Glad you are talking down the swag and over door ornament. That is fabulous!

    Are you going to match the red for the door to the red in your glass or go darker? Any PS pros want to PS a red door for oceanna?

  • Valerie Noronha
    15 years ago

    Here is the article in case you are interested.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Classes in the home on Victorian lampshades

  • tracey_b
    15 years ago

    Oceanna--check out your local community colleges. You could offer classes through them. I have a friend who wrote a cookbook and to try and promote it, she offers up one-time cooking "classes" where they cook and eat (and hopefully buy her book). I think she gets paid something through the college itself and then again through any special fees the class participants pay.

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks ladies!

    Val, I've book marked that page. Interesting thing -- I know how to hand sew Victorian lampshades and I figure I could teach it too, just don't know if I like doing it all that much. It's hard on arthritic hands. It could be interesting to teach people to do small GG windows. Decals would be a snap. However, to teach it here I need a huge piece of furniture moved downstairs and would need to buy a new DR table... mine is a small round antique with no leaves. Still, it sounds like fun if I ever get this house in shape, and that is happening.

    Tracey, I once taught guitar at a local community college, so you're right that is an idea. Your friend is clever to be getting $ from two sources, both the school and cookbook sales. Hmmm... makes me think...

    Well, my son came over, finally. YAY!

    I've been unable to start the lawn mower. I took it to the shop and they said it needs a new starter -- which I got for it last year. My son mowed my back yard (YAY). He can pull the rope and start it; I seldom can. Then he said he thinks the outlet I plugged it into was tripped off. We'll see... he wasn't sure. But he messed with it. Anyway the good news is he got the dandelions before they went to seed, something I've been trying to do with no success.

    Then he put the bird room closet door back on it's track. It was the back door and I couldn't fix it myself.

    Then he climbed to my roof and stapled up my sagged down rope light that looks so awful laying there every night when it automatically comes on.

    Then he took down my old curtain rods and was arguing with me about how to put up the new ones when he decided he had to leave for his dinner appointment with a group of friends.
    So what he didn't do is affix the new GG window -- though he did take a good look at it and he's formulating a plan for how to do it. He also didn't take down my swag there, or re-do the trim around the window. And he didn't end up helping me get the drapery rods up. But maybe I can do those myself after all. Next time for the GG window.

    He did say upon seeing the window in person for the first time that my photos of it absolutely don't do it justice (I agree). He said I should try taking pictures at dusk.

    Now, about teaching classes, I'd have to decide if the best money was in teaching classes or in doing commissioned work, wouldn't I? Because if I teach it you can bet someone is going to get out there and do that commissioned work. The thing is, if I want to do the commissioned work, how should I advertise it? Most folks have no idea what this craft even is, let alone what can be done with it.

    Another question is how to price the work? This window took me an unbelievable number of hours. I can see this streamlining over time, and especially as I worked out some designs to offer.

  • hoyamom
    15 years ago

    Oceanna - I wish you lived near me so you could show me how to do the GG (or maybe make me one for my little bathroom window??).
    It looks gorgeous just awesome!!!! You should be very proud of yourself and we all appreciate you sharing your talent with us.
    Keep us posted about the swags (I agree, take them down and the arch above the door) - keep all eyes on your GG!!

  • oceanna
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hoyamom, I'd be happy to do that! Thank you for your kind words. :)

    Brutus asked me how to do a very simple one and I gave her an explanation. I'll put the link in here for you. Let me know if you have questions. To do a colored one or a complex one is just the same steps as I explained to her. Except there is a little something to mixing the colors if you want to mix them. You just put down your main color, add dots of your secondary color and comb it back and forth in mainly one direction (unless you want swirls) to mix it right on the window.

    How about picking up some clear cling vinyl in the package at JoAnn's and start there by making a few decals? I think you would love it. For that, I'd get the paint at www.windowbutterflies.com. For woking on the vertical, I'd get the paint at Michael's. I do have some of both brands of paint and I mix 'em up mostly according to grabbing the color I want. But the GG paint is a bit thicker, less runny.

    One thing... if you're piping the black leading from a bottle, you want to use a bottle with a little tip. At Michaels, all the colors have little tips. Their leading they sell in a big bottle (hard to handle) with a big tip (hard to control). So I'd save an empty colored paint bottle to put my liquid leading in. The windowbutterflies site sells the leading in a little bottle with a great tip... but the leading itself is a bit shiny and flattens out a bit. I think I prefer some of Michael's and some of the wb leading mixed together -- lol. I *know* I prefer the small bottle with the small tip.

    I say go for it! And please start a thread about your project when you do. I'll be happy to coach you through it and answer questions for you. And we'd all love to see your pictures as you care to share them.

  • zipdee
    15 years ago

    I'm very late to the party, but I wanted to tell you how fantastic your window is! It looks just beautiful, I can see all of the time, patience and thought that went into it.

  • Sheeisback_GW
    15 years ago

    So sooooo pretty! You have amazing talent. The colors work so well together. I brown around the edges before did give it a whole new look. This one is more light and airy. The neighbors will notice soon!

  • christine_1958
    15 years ago

    You have done a beautiful job . How long have you been working with glass.

    Christine