Window pane or Window PAIN?! | DIY

Usually I reserve Thursdays for thankful things so I am going to stick to that regular program, just in a different way. I have an awesome DIY project I want to share and some updates on our office that I redid. I know y'all may be tired of hearing about my office but goodness this place gives me such a sense of peace and is like my breathe of fresh air after a long day. One of my favorite things to do is to just come sit in my office in my chair and just enjoy the completion of it. Today, I am thankful for this office to give me a space to feel creative, get excited, relax, and enjoy. It's crazy to me how a room in a house can make you feel as happy as I do when I'm hanging out in here. I'm weird. I know.

Before, after, and really after For Christmas, Michael got me that pretty little iMac that is just perfect in every way. Well, you see, it didn't fit on our old computer desk. I knew after completing the office, that a new desk was definitely in order so his mom so graciously said she would give us that as our Christmas gift. My mom pitched in and got us the beautiful chair and wala... it's even better than I already thought it was. Here are just a few updated, fuzzy iphone pictures.

If you follow along on instagram, you'll know that Kaitlyn and I found some awesome window panes for really cheap at this cute little place near my town. I knew I wanted the window to be in my office but since I already have two pretty big real windows, I couldn't decide exactly what to do with the one I bought. I got to thinking about what would be functional in an office and immediately knew it had to be chalkboard and cork board and so began my redesign of this precious little window.

The blue just didn't really go with my gray walls, and turquoise decor so my first thoughts were to sand off the blue that was on one side and use then paint that side of the window. The issue came after I spent 2 hours...maybe even more sanding the 20 year old paint off. You see the windows, like any windows I guess, were glued in place with glue. That the glue just so happened to be on the side that I decided to sand and when the sander touched the window, the glue would either fall off, or wouldn't budge. There was just no way I could have painted those windows with all that gunk on the inside. My OCDness would have died a little inside. So, when all else fails on one side, flip it to the other side.

You'll notice that the other side looks white. You may be asking yourself why I didn't just start with this side of the window and that is a great questions that I still don't really know the answer too. Oh well, I learned how to sand so there is that.... right?! After deciding to use the other side, painted three of the windows with chalkboard paint. Learn from my mistakes people....do not...I repeat DO NOT use a bristle brush when chalk board painting. Just don't. I did these coats and was so excited to let it dry...went out there the next day...it looked like I hadn't even barely painted the windows. There were streaks and I could see right through the window that had BLACK chalkboard paint on it.
The only rational thing to do is to go buy a brand new roller to roll the paint on with but I am not very rational, so I looked through my craft drawers and found those sponge type brushes and let me tell you...they did awesome. As the chalkboard paint was drying, I went around the white parts of the window and went over it with pure white paint using a brush. It took time and patience but it gave it the pop I was looking for.

After I let it all dry over night again, mostly because I didn't have the patience after the chalkboard debacle, I tackled the other windows the next day. I wanted to use cork board because I have cute push pins and I am always looking for a place to hang cards or pictures. So I bought a pack of 4 cork board squares, measured the inside of the window and cut each board the same size...thankfully all the windows are the same size. YAY me. I used the two sided stickers that are in there to secure it and then bought a picture hanger to nail onto the back so that it can be hung in our office.

Are there parts that aren't perfect...absolutely. But It's just perfect for our office and I am already loving the space it gives me to hang up cards and pictures of my favorite people. Plus I can use it as a grocery list and hopefully as a message center at some point.