"Anthropologie" Knock-Off Apron

Okay, Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores but I have never actually bought anything because I know I can go home and make something similar or better. In this case I fell in love with this "Sewing Basket Kid's Apron" that was online ($24.00).  Why should cute things be only for kids, I was bound and determined to make my own version of this apron.

Vintage Linen Shoulder Bag

I had bought this adorable, worn table linen at the local flea market because I loved the colors and the pattern. But with a lot of the treasures that have been collected over time, I really wanted to enjoy it rather than keep it in a drawer. 

Viola! Lets make it into a bag so that I can carry it to the store, thrifting, or farmers market. That way I can enjoy it more often and carry my goodies too!

Recycled Stained Glass Window

This idea first came from when I was visiting my mom. She had picked up these two old window frames from the dump. When we went to the Farm Chicks Show we were surprised to find that people were paying at least $50.00 for one of these. And my mom had TWO! So I thought that I would hang them outside on the side of her patio as a decoration. 


So upon returning to my own home and going to my local flea market, I came across this little gem for $3.00. It was an old bathroom window and it was bubbled/brushed effect to the glass. 


After having it sit for a week I thought I could use some paint to make it like a stained glass window to work as a decoration outside my kitchen window. 

Tracing using a Sharpie marker. 

 Okay, I waited to get a 50% off coupon from Michaels so that I could purchase a color package from Gallery Glass. The kits are regular $10.99 here and so when I purchased it was only $5.00.  My package came with a liquid lead and five colors (red, blue, green, white and clear). 

Going around the outside with the marker. 

Next was I cut out a cherry pattern using my Cricut. Placed it on the glass window and traced out the design with a Sharpie marker. I like it so much I also added a straight boarder around the outside to frame it. As you can see below, here are my finished markings. 

All finished with the marker. 

 So the next step is to add the liquid lead.  Never have done this before, I didn't want to purchase the expensive book so I just found a tutorial on youtube on ways to use this lead.  If the link doesn't work, I just went to youtube and searched for glass gallery.


After watching Carol do it on the video, started on my own window with the liquid lead. Following all of the marks I made with the marker I outlined everything on the glass. When done, it needs to sit overnight. 

Not perfect, but good enough for me. 

The next day I added the color, again I went to youtube to watch Carol do hers.  She talks about coloring in and then using a special stick to get the bubbles out of the paint. I used a toothpick, so after coloring in with the paint...I just waved the toothpick back and fourth through what I had just painted to get the bubbles cleared out. Again, after painting it needs to sit overnight. 

I added a little white to the top. 

Here I added the blue to frame it. 

Now it is hanging outside my kitchen window

 Now to hang the glass after it was dry, I screwed in eye hooks then attached the chain with S hooks and then securely attached with more heavy duty cup hooks to the eave of the house. 

So we go the the Alemeda Antiques Fair in the bay area and I truck this large window back to the truck. It was in great shape and I didn't have to replace any of the glass. 

Some of the patterns from the link. 

I wanted to try something different and found a lot of neat patterns but chose to do a quilting pattern on each pane of glass. 

 I made a pattern using paper so that I could tape it to the bottom and trace with my marker on the top.  As you can see below I turned the pattern in each pane to give it a little different look.

All of the pattern with the sharpie marker. 

 With such a large window I did go and purchase two more colors to add to the glass, Sunny Yellow and Jadeite Green. It took a long time to paint this window but it sure turned out pretty. 

This one hangs outside of my dining room window. 

 Living in a beach community the houses are packed in and your neighbors are literally "next to you". Adding this window did give us a little more privacy, but did it in a beautiful way. 

 Any questions or comments please let me know. If you have done Gallery Glass before and have some helpful hints I would love to learn more. 


This is my next DIY project. Table Scarves turned into handbags.