I recently shared with you the altered window I was working on. Well, it’s finally finished – sort of. I still need to decide what will go into the three remaining panes but for now I’m very happy with the results.

I used Globecraft & Piccolo embossing powders on the Piccolo Accents that are used to decorate the window frame. It’s also used on some of the window frames’ edges to give it a touch of aged gold. My biggest thrill though, is the photo transfer that I finally got to work! It tool three tries but the third one turned out just as I had envisioned.

I printed a sepia-tone, color photo of my grandparents and my mother onto plain white office supply paper on my ink jet printer. I was determined to get it to work using my regular every-day supplies. I had read many articles on photo transfers and figured out that basically it’s an experiment for the most part and if you get lucky, it works. I got lucky.

My first attempt I did just by-the-book. I brushed Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze onto a portion of  the window pane in a large enough area to fit the photo I had printed out and torn the edges off. I placed the photo face-down in to the Glastique and burnished it onto the glass and wiped up any extra Glastique before it dried. I left it overnight and spritzed it the next day to rub the paper away and it all came off. Not suppose to happen.

So I cleaned the pane, printed another photo and tried again. This time I also brushed the Glastique onto the photo as well as the glass. Placed it on the glass, burnished it and to really hold it down, I brushed Glastique over the top. Wrong. The next day when I spritzed the paper to prep it for rubbing away, the water wouldn’t soak into it. The extra coating of Glastique sealed the photo onto the glass – Duh! So, I saturate the photo, scrap it up so I can get some water under it and finally get it all scrapped off. Onto the third try.

I referred back to my book again and decided maybe I wasn’t using enough medium (Glastique) for the transfer to work. This time I printed another photo, tore the edges away, brushed a good thick layer of Glastique onto the glass and onto the face of the photo. I carefully laid it onto the coated area of the glass and used a brayer this time to burnish. I rolled over it in both directions several times, being very careful not to get Glastique on the back of the photo. When I thought it was good, I took a damp cloth and wiped away the Glastique that oozed out from using the brayer. It sat overnight once again.

The next day, I spritzed it with water and gently began to rub away the paper backing. Success! It worked just like it was supposed to. I think with photo transfers it’s just a matter of experimenting on different surfaces with different mediums. The G&P Glastique worked perfectly once I figured out how much I needed.

I also used three DIY Ornaments to create a banner to string across the window. The ornaments are connected with jump rings and Piccolo Accents that are embossed with G&P Vintage Copper Embossing Powder. I also used Vintage Copper Embossing Powder on the ornament rings and the key. I used the heat flash technique so the powder is not melted completely leaving an aged, worn look.

The completed window looks even better than I imagined it would and the photo transfer is wonderful on the window pane. I backed it with a sheet of vintage music paper to add a bit of contrast. Those are old insulator knobs a friend spotted at an antique mall for me attached to the bottom. They’ll make a great hangar or shelf to perch an old book or other memorabilia on.

I’m lovin’ playing with these DIY Ornaments. I’m always thinking of different uses for them. How about you – any ideas? Jump on over to the G&P Blog today to see the DIY Ornaments I hung from a vintage lamp shade.

Select your own G&P products to play with here: