Decorate your windows with easy crafts that you can make yourself and you’ll give your home a new look for each season. Almost everyone’s heard of window clings – thin plastic cut into shapes like Christmas trees, candy canes, hearts or pumpkins. The clings are easy to put up and give character to windows during the holidays.
You can now find window clings that are more like corner borders. The lacy strips come in packs of four and one goes on each corner of the window to look as if it’s been etched. These clings come in all sorts of patterns so you can do middle-of-the-pane designs or borders.
Make your own glass etchings easily with new kits that provide everything you need. Basically a design is drawn on the window, the etching liquid is applied, and the design is then permanently etched into the window. There’s lots of nice designs, which use stencils to create, making it easy to have a beautifully etched piece of glass without the bother of conventional methods.
Look at a home improvements store for vinyl window coverings. The coverings come on a roll and you cut them to fit the window. There are designs that look like stained glass, ones that have scenery printed on them, and simple ones that just have a lace look. The roll application is meant to cover entire windows but designs can be cut from the plastic. The covering is a peel-and-stick type of window print that’s easy to use in large pieces or small.
Use clear contact paper to make virtually any design on any window. Simply cut out images from post cards, calendars, Christmas cards, wallpaper, or other sources, align them on the contact paper and place the paper on the window. You can also purchase kits that allow you to “frost” windows for privacy and beauty.
Tiny suction cups, sold at craft stores, make for all sorts of interesting window decor. Flat-type ornaments, like snowflakes, are perfectly suited for the suction cups. Try hanging ceramic dolphins on a bathroom window, string peppers up to hang in kitchen windows, or make a beaded cross or heart to hang on another window. Make shapes like initials out of pipe cleaners to hang in the windows as a monogram. Or, twist the pipe cleaners together then bend them to spell “Noel” or “Happy Easter”.
Craft stores have kits and supplies for new and easy techniques in stained glass windows. No more heavy lead to install or hours of work for small areas. The new staining is done by simply outlining the design in a squeezable liquid “lead” then colored in with a watercolor or jewel tone design. These are great for small door windows, to keep guests from peering in, but can be used on most any window.
If you have large panes of glass but would prefer smaller panes you don’t have to replace the window itself. Just purchase the new grids that snap into place giving any window a new look. The grids are easy to fit to any window size or shape and can be found at home improvement stores.
