DIY Window Frame

In college, one of my roommates and I headed to a local antique store in Athens with the mission of finding old windows to hang in our house. That window has since moved with me to three different rooms. It's simple, easy, and my favorite part... cheap. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been working on a window for a family friend. This weekend, it finally made its way into Tessa's bedroom. 

To begin this project, I headed to my favorite antique store in Marietta,
Classy Flea. I love finding windows with handles... $5 later and I was set to go.

For this frame, I used eight 5x7 pictures, one in each section. In the frame
I have in my room, I used 4x6 pictures, placing 2 in each section. It really just
depends on how many pictures you want to use. The pictures were secured with scrap booking
photo corners (about $3 per box from Jo-Ann's).

Pictures in place... check. Now on to the hardware portion
of this project. 

Before hanging the frame, you will first need to attach hooks to the back
of the window (see left package). I used the ones in the top right corner - they are
very easy to attach... all you need is a screwdriver. To hang the frame, find hooks that
will support the weight of your frame (see right package). Both hanging packages came
from Jo-Ann's... about $12 for both.

For this frame, I found burlap-esque ribbon ($6 for 2 spools) and used a staple gun to attach
strips - one on each side - to the window frame 

I always leave extra ribbon and cut after the frame has been hung.
Depending on the height of the ceiling and how much you want hanging down,
it makes it a lot easier to snip after the frame is on the wall. 

Ta-daaaaa! All finished! Tessa has already taken notice to the new
pictures in her room. Throughout the hanging process, she was pointing
and calling out her mom, dad, and brother.

Total cost for the project = about $30

Every other Monday.

Monday marked the beginning of my Bible study... A Hole in the Gospel.  This is the first study I have done through my church and I am beyond excited. The focus of this study is missions and what we can do to reach those in our community and around the world. Our group is made up of mostly women from varying backgrounds... teachers, writers, students, mothers, world travelers. The one thing that brings us all back together is our passion for missions. God most definitely calls us to the mission field. The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action while on this earth. Found in Matthew, The Great Commission says "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)


For the longest time I have felt like God has been tugging at my heart... tugging me into the world of missions. But it never seemed right. It is only now that I realize why it has taken 3+ years to finally be in the right place. God has been preparing my heart for what is to come. Over the last two years, I have been fighting for children with disabilities. I have been fighting for their reputations, for their education, and for their independence. The last two years have been preparing me to fight for the hearts of children who are living in communities where they may not know Jesus or what it means to be loved by Him. 


I can not wait to see what the next months have in store for our group and where God is planning on leading us as a group and as individuals. Whether it is a 5 minute drive down the street or a 5 hour plane ride, I am more than ready. 


“No one escapes the general call to mission. No one can say, ‘Witness is not for me.’ The critical question is not whether we're called, for we are. The critical question is ‘Where am I called to?’ The answer may be to serve Jesus right where we are already, among those we live with and work beside. That is a wholly legitimate calling.” (Alistair Brown, 1997)