The DR gallery is awesome, thanks Oceanna! We're finally getting around to doing our DR too. I'm no expert LOL, still I'd love to play! #8 looks Victorian to me, #24 definitely has a contemporary vibe, and #48 (my personal favorite of these three) has an eclectic, contemporary feel. I think it's the most interesting of the three, because of the fun way they played off the scale of the mirror frame with the thin black picture frames. The mirror's vertical placement is unexpected, and I like that too. See #50 for a really wild example of playing with scale, isn't that funny? I thought you might like the carpet in there. If I had to pick the common elements in the rooms you chose, it would be lighter carpet and wall colors, neutral color palette, crystal chandelier, white flowers, mixture of wood tones. You might like #12, #30 and #42 as well. I personally don't see an overwhelming Asian influence, but a sprinkle of Asian art or furniture usually works well with more classic pieces.

Thanks everyone! Anj, yes that's what I did. I did my bathroom window in place right on the window. Lots of standing on my feet there. I did my son's window partly with clings I made, and partly in place -- because I didn't want to be at his house on my feet for a kazillion hours. This window is so huge, and it's really hard to set up a ladder in my entry hall as it's a split entry. It's "second story" too, and I don't like heights. So the obvious best choice was to work it on my living room floor (wish I had a bigger table). The plexi was cool as I could kneel on it without worrying about breakage, and it's so lightweight. I'm glad you saw the pics of it lit up at night. That's my favorite part! :) Luvs, thanks! I worked for days picking out and putting together the design. It's three different designs put together with a bit added by me. I was being really fussy about this design as it's right above my front door. Haha you're right, not all that safe, but Plexi is lightewight, not at all as heavy as glass. That's the only way I could get it up there. The colors were a process of evolving... I put in some colors and took them back out, as you can see if you follow the thread. Taking them back out is a PIB, but it's doable. I'm pretty good at "erasing." The swagged lace curtains: Well, it's been a while. But basically I did it with nails (hey it's what I had) pounded into the wall and sticking out a bit, and I used rubber bands. I'd watched Shari on Room by Room do something like that. It was VERY quick and easy to do. Cuphooks is what she used, as I recall. That swag will be coming down now that the window is done. Anyway, play with it -- it's SO easy! I really want you gals to try this. It's fun and it's so gratifying. What you get for your effort is really cool.

Odie thanks. What a great idea with the lace. Can you post a picture? Luvstocraft thank you. On the first window I used kleenex and paper towels to clean up some drips. On the second window much less so. It's okay to put on 2-3 thin layers rather than one heavy one. At one point I was squeezing a bottle and the whole top popped off and the paint blobbed all down the window, but it cleaned up fine. On the first window I also felt unhappy with the way some colors came out when they were dry. So I took my exacto, cut around the edges, peeled it off, and replaced it. That was a bit tricky because some of the paint wanted to stay on the leading lines, so I replaced a few of them. It is hard to tell just how it's going to look dry when it's still wet. The thing is, it's just paint so it's very forgiving and easy to clean up messes. I think if any of you have been thinking about it you should try it. If and when I do another I'll be happy to share with you, thanks. :-) Anjabee thanks. I'm really happy with the way they turned out in person. I was pretty excited to figure out that I can do this any ol' time I want. It's worth trying it and practicing. Good luck finding the pattern you love. You might try snooping through google images under "stained glass" and collect up a few you like best in a folder, then sketching out your own pattern that is similar. You'll find tons of inspiration. One of the things that's neat about it is you can do it in the colors that go with your room. You might even have a fabric in the room that has a motif you like and can use. Or sit and doodle out a few thoughts and just play with it. I love the jewels they have in stained glass windows, and I looked around but everything like that had silvering on the back. So I figured the marbles were as close as I'd get. I like the way they turned out as the dimension gives a little texture and more reality to it, I think, and they come in lots of colors. I love that your SIL did that. I have a huge transom window over my front door I'd love to do but there's no way I'm hanging out on a ladder there for hours. The landing in front of the door is teensy because it's a split entry and there isn't much good way to angle a ladder. So my next one (which won't be for a few months it looks like) will be for that area. I figured I'd pick up a window at a salvage place, work it, then ask my son to hang it. But the area is big and it will be heavy. I thought about plexiglas, but it's expensive and I'd still need a frame for it. I'm just not sure how to do this yet. I'm open to ideas! My sidelight window is privacy glass so I can't do that one. I could buy a real one, but it would take forever to find the right size; it would be expensive; and I have parrots -- if they chewed on the lead they'd be poisoned. Paintingfool thanks for the kind words. I discovered early that it's impossible to pipe a straight line, at least for me. So I bought the leading strips for that. It's not hard to pipe a curved line with the paint from www.windowbutterflies.com but all her paints are meant to be used on horizontal surfaces like clings... they're pretty runny for right on the window. The GG paint is thicker. To all: The first window I did all vertically right on the window with Gallery Glass. The second window I did the art elements on clings, stuck them to the window, applied the rest of the leading lines, then piped on the rest of the color. That helped cut down on the time I had to spend on my feet at my son's house doing his window. The leading lines aren't easy to lay perfectly straight. I learned to check them with a ruler, and to try to lay them very lightly and nudge them with a ruler (that didn't work too well), and I also held a ruler up close as I laid some, which helped. None of them are absolutely perfect. But the good news is that real stained glass windows aren't perfect either. It would be easier to do a design with no, or few straight lines, like fish swimming, or asymmetrical flowers and leaves. The curved lines are easier and don't have to be perfect, especially if they're a rather freeform design. It's harder to do a design with lots of straight lines and matching sides, but it can be done, just needs a little more patience and a few more cuss words. ;-) But you all probably know that from painting already. As to the stuff running it IS a problem. On my first window I fought that. On my second window I used less paint and did more layers and that worked better. In some places I just smeared on a thin layer with my finger, and tried not to leave it looking like a child's finger painting. The marbelized effect just happens on its own since the paint is thicker and thinner in different spots. I think you all should try it. I think you'll be amazed at what you can do. The easier way is to do clings while sitting at your table, then put them up, attach with leading lines, and fill in. One word about that, though... I didn't apply the clings right away. They were at my house for a while before I took them over there. At that point I had more trouble getting them to stick to the window. I actually used a little hot glue in a couple of points, spread very thin on the back of a point that refused to stay down. It's also a lot easier with small clings than with big ones. I had more problem with the bottom part of that tall window, as it's clings patched together. Another thing... you may hear that you can do a design on a window and peel it off and stick it on the window. I tried that and when I peeled it, it stretched and tore. I used the clings after that. If anyone knows of a good place to get clings bigger than 8.5x11 I would love to know about it please! I just posted these here with the hopes that it would inspire you all to try some of your own. It's very gratifying to be able to get exactly the window you want, one of a kind if you like to design, and much cheaper than a real stained glass window. I talked with one gal who daid her window had been up for ten years and might have faded just a wee bit but otherwise looked as good as the day she finished it. I also did these windows in several sessions, giving paint time to dry so I wouldn't smear one area while working on another -- and giving me time to rest. If you go to www.windowbutterflies.com she has a video there of her making clings. I did her "blending" technique on a window cling, but not for these windows as I wanted them to look like real stained glass. She is a wonderfully kind lady to talk with on the phone and her paints are perfect for clings. Hope that helps and inspires someone here to try! If you do, I hope you'll post pictures here. :-)

Thank you! :-) I got most of my supplies at Michaels. Michaels sells the Gallery Glass (GG) paints that are best for applying directly on the vertical window. I also bought a few paints and a couple of tools from http://www.windowbutterflies.com/index.html. She sells the cling and the paints that are great for those. My advice is don't buy the GG liquid leading unless you have the world's steadiest hand. For my window in the bathroom I did it all right on the window with Gallery Glass paints and the instant leading lines. For my son's window I did the main art elements (butterfly, flowers, arc at bottom) with the paints from the windowbutterflies site onto clear vinyl clings. Then I cut them out and stuck them on the window. All of my straight lines are GG instant leading. Then I painted the big areas with the GG directly on the window. I also hot glue gunned on those clear marbles with the flat backs. Michaels (and eBay) sells lots of patterns and even kits with the tough parts pre-formed for you. With the patterns you draw them onto your window with transfer paper. Then just peel and stick the leading lines. Then make "solder points" where the leading lines meet (never cross them; cut them) which covers over any gaps and makes it look more like the solder points in a real stained glass window. I used the liquid leading from the butterflies site for that -- it's easier to control than the GG one. The painting is easy, but don't get too much on or it sags down -- better to do multiple layers. You just apply the paint right on the window with the tip of the bottle. The clear texture is easy -- you just make tiny little circles with the tip of the bottle until it's all filled in. On my first window it came out very thick so on my son's window I just applied the clear in zig-zag lines more sparsely, and used the tool I got from butterflies to make the little circles until it was all filled in. I have to go put on at least one more layer of green on the stem on my son's window, but I'll try to get a picture of it while I'm there -- I've done a lot more work on it and I'm really pleased with it. It took a little while because you don't want to smear wet paint, so you go take a break while the part you just painted dries. I talked with one gal who did her windows ten years ago and they're still beautiful, so your time is well spent. And yes, you can clean the finished window with Windex or whatever you use, just like your other windows (but I do it gently). If you're working on your window at home it's easy. You just work on it for a while and then take a break, then work again when you have time. So it took me a few days to complete it but it's not like I was working all day. I was pretty religious about cleaning the tips of the bottles well after each use. You don't want them clogged when you go to use them again. No, you don't need any assistance and there's no room for an assistant. There's nothing heavy to lift or any reason for an assistant. All you do is peel and stick and cut, and squeeze a little paint bottle. If you do your own design just do it on big paper and transfer it to the window with transfer paper. Use a ruler for the straight lines. I did mine on the computer and then somehow figured out how to print them out the size I wanted and tape all the papers together. But I like doing my own designs. You don't need to. I did try putting the pattern outside the window but it was too hard on a double-paned window to see where the lines really were, so I advise the transfer paper. Then it's just peel and stick your leading lines and paint. You'll need a good exacto knife to cut the leading lines. If you're unsure, then try some decals first. You do those on the clings (I think JoAnn fabrics sells the clings too). So pick a line drawing you like, lay the clear cling vinyl over it, tape it down, pipe your leading lines on and when they're dry paint. I did a hummingbird/flower one and stuck it to my sliding glass door so people wouldn't try to walk through it. I printed my pattern off something I found on the computer. I think that would be the easy/fun way to start. You can do little fun ones for your kids' windows. If you can color in a coloring book you can do this! You'll be amazed and delighted with your newfound skills. It's fun. Let me know, okay? I can't wait to see what you do.