Trial and Error

I won't pretend I'm crafty or do projects all the time, or even have a great sense of style. The truth is, I believe this window project of mine may take longer than I thought. I worked on it for a long time today. And after I was finished, I just didn't "LOVE" the results. And I don't want to hang this already "risky" piece in my living room until it's just right! I say "risky" because none of my decor is cottagy, country, ecclectic, or shabby. I find myself drawn to these looks, but haven't incorporated them into my home yet. My window has a real weathered, shabby, cottagy feel, and I'm just not sure it fits my living room decor, which is very orderly and symmetrical.

I thought I'd paint it black and add black and white photos to dress it up, but once I cleaned and scrubbed away the dirt and cobwebs, I began to appreciate the chippy white paint and beat-up wood. So, I've decided not to paint it.

Like I said, I'm not in love with the finished product. I decided to do each pane like a scrapbook pages, with pictures and sayings, etc, etc. But once I got them in place, it just looked junky and cluttered. I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. But on the bright side, I have 8 finished scrapbook pages! Now all I have to do is find an album they'll fit into!

I guess what I'm going for is more a clean look, that happens to use vintage materials. I see this done so effortlessly in decorating magazines, but I'm not sure if I can copy it to fit my decor.

If any of you have any ideas, suggestions, links to other people's projects, etc., please let me know!

So I guess this is a trial and error process. I'll get it right, and when I do, I'll post pics. Maybe tomorrow will be the day!