Recycled Window Picture Frame

Okay, here's the truth - the reason for my weekend retreat was one project in particular.  I needed my dad's help in completing this project.  And let me tell you, I love how this came out. I mean, I am over the moon happy with the results.  I am pleased as punch!  Do you get the picture?

Here's the story on how this project came to be:  Sometime last year, I think it was late summer, I took a weekend trip to my parents house.  When I got there, no one was home so I grabbed my camera and started exploring.  I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just some interesting abstract shots.  Then I wandered into the top of the barn which my dad was remodeling into something - a storage space I guess.

It was here that I found the jackpot.  There were all kinds of odds and ends including the kitchen sink {okay, maybe it was a bathroom sink} that my dad had been collecting.  The pile of doors was intriguing.  {I've always admired the painted doors windbreak on Normandale Blvd.}  But it was the stack of old windows that I really wanted.  I had this great idea about using the windows as frames for my flower photography.  {Of course, had I been on Pinterest at that time, I would have known that wasn't an original idea.}  So, after checking with my dad, I picked a couple of them out and took them home with me to start cleaning.

Cleaning them up wasn't that bad as they were in pretty good shape.  But I wanted to take the old caulking off around the panes since some was chipped off anyways.  That took more elbow grease than I had so the windows and I took another trip to Iowa for help from my dad. Unfortunately, the result was one cracked pane in one of the windows.  That one will have to wait for later.  And somehow in the transporting I managed to lose one of the screws from the handle.  Oh well, that could easily be replaced.  The handle and latch on this window made it my favorite because it was unique.

Now, I had to select a photograph to use.  I had so many choices since I love taking pictures of flowers.  I selected this one that I took of some dahlias at the Arboretum.

It was taken last fall when I had met my girlfriend Jenell and her two sons there for a morning visit.  I had forgotten to bring my camera so this was taken with my iPhone.  I wasn't sure how it would turn out enlarged but it looks great.  I love this picture because of the vibrant colors and I thought the depth would come across great behind the window.

So, I finally had all the pieces and now I needed to put them together.  I'm not too handy with a staple gun so that it why I enlisted my dad's help once again.  Thanks Dad!  As I said before, I just love how it turned out.  We hung it up in my parent's kitchen to see how it looks.

It looks awesome!

My original idea was to sell this in my etsy shop.  But it's too lovely for anyone else so I'm going to keep it.  Now, I just need to find a spot for it.

Just recently I was thinking this spot in my dining room needed some updating.  {Honest - I was really just thinking that the other week or so}  I don't have many windows in my townhouse {just three, I counted them.} but this will give me one more and the view will be so sweet.

Linking to...Sundae Scoop, The Sunday Showcase, Made by You Monday, Wow me Wednesday, Pity Party