. . . more nesting

Sorry if you came here for vittles folks, I haven't been making much that is noteworthy lately. But what I have been doing is reading too many diy blogs!

Taylor let me know, oh, about a year ago, that the wall behind our couch looked a little barren. Not wanting to invest in something in an apartment, first I stalled. Half - heartedly looked around, unsure of what I even wanted. I considered using some cool brackets and putting up some shelves. But anchors and I are not friends and I didn't want to do all the construction that I envisioned the task involving. Someday. Someday.

I had a few goals when coming up with this idea. {1.} Minimize holes in the wall. {2} Look cool {3} Incorporate things that I would use again in a real house. {4} Be cheap.

After browsing a couple pricey Austin antique joints and tooling around some South Austin neighborhoods looking for cool junk, I looked on Cragislist. I found a guy in central Austin who was redoing his house and taking out 1940s/1950s style windows. So I grabbed my mom and we went up to check them out. I bought one, frame and all. I was not expecting the frame. Massive item. But we hauled it home in my trusty 4Runner, J.J. My dad helped me rip the frame off; I took out the glass panes and then assessed the situation.

The side of the window that had been outside was pretty worse for the wear. The side that had been on the inside looked like it had been painted light blue over white. There was a pretty stark transition between the paint and the raw wood that had been hidden by the frame. So I figured I'd just re-paint the whole thing and make the antique, distressed look myself. My mom and I started sanding to prep for repainting. I was trying to be all neat and gentle and even. I looked over at her side and she was just going to town on it. No mercy. Go Patti Go. Well, after scolding her, I realized that the way the white and original wood started showing through the blue paint was exactly the look I thought I was going to have to create with much more paint and sanding efforts. So I gave her permission to carry on...I envisioned hanging the completed window by a single hook and pictured something on the sides. Perhaps picture frames. . . So I ventured to Hobby Lobby and found three metal hooks and those great bird pictures.
The hooks weren't white nor were they antiqued but they were half off. Sold. To make them white, I applied a newly learned d.i.y trick. Before I spray painted them with Rustoleum Navajo White, I ran a tea light candle over the edges, where I wanted the dark metal to show through and dustedslashblew away the loose wax crumbs. After allowing two coats to dry, I rubbed at the edges with my hand and fingernail . . .glamorous, I know . . . rubbing the paint and wax off in a quasi- random fashion.
I used thick twine to hang everything. And below is the view from the kitchen.
Cost:
frame $7.50
hooks $7.00 {all half off at Hobby Lobby}
boxy bird prints $9.00 {also half off!}
twine $.60 {I used a 40% off coupon, printed online, BIG saver :) }
total: $27.10

Total holes in the wall: 5 tiny holes and no anchors!