Christmas Stained Glass Window DIY
It’s our first Christmas in our new home, and I think I have really outdone myself with the DIY projects I have taken on this year! The most charming being the Christmas Stained Glass Window DIY.
We have a 12 pane window in our living room that is street facing. It’s a high impact centerpiece of our living area that I new needed something magical for the holidays. I am making reusable faux stained glass inserts that pop right into the panes and look absolutely stunning from both the inside and the sidewalk.
I am delighted to share the process in case any of you want to accomplish something similar for your home!
What’s in My Michaels Cart
I wanted it to be both reusable and cost-effective. Here’s what I grabbed at Michaels during their Black Friday Sale:
Clear Plastic Sheets (Studio Décor®): I used these as my "canvas." I cut 14 of these down to the exact size of my window panes.
Black Foam Sheets (Creatology™): This is the secret sauce. Instead of messy liquid leading, I used my Cricut to cut thin strips of foam to mimic the lead lines. It adds a 3D texture that makes the "glass" look real.
Gallery Glass® 18 Color Kit (Plaid®): This paint is magical. It goes on slightly milky but dries into that perfect, translucent jewel tone.
The Process: High Impact, Low Stress
I measured the individual panes of my window and used a utility knife to size the acrylic sheets. I bought sheets that were almost the right size so I just had to make cuts on one side of each sheet.
I designed my motifs - Santa, snowflakes, classic nutcrackers, etc. - in Canva then used my Cricut* to cut the designs out of black foam.
*If you don’t have a Cricut, you could do this part by tracing a printed out image with the black “leading lines” paint, but that seemed messy and I wanted the lines to be perfect! So I used my Cricut instead.
I used Modge Podge to adhere the foam outlines onto the plastic, and then I filled the "cells" with the Gallery Glass paint. Pro tip: Use a toothpick to pop any tiny air bubbles while the paint is wet for a professional finish.
Because the sheets are lightweight, I use a tiny dab of clear museum wax in the corners to hold them against the window. When January hits, they pop right out and slide into a flat folder for next year.
The glow at sunset is everything, you guys. It makes the living room feel so cozy, and my kids are obsessed with saying “Hello!” to Santa every morning.
