BEFORE & AFTER
Can you find my helper in the after photo? He's kinda hidden...but nice and cozy.
For years I have wanted shutters for the front/studio windows. It's so easy for people driving or walking by to see what I am doing at any time of the day, especially at night with the flourescent lights on. Rosie would even stop her walk to look in the window so she could wave if I was working there. Some days I just don't want people to see me in my pjs and bed head hair!

What shutters I could find at Home Depot/Lowes were pretty pricey and come to find out they weren't the right size anyway. The only reason I know they wouldn't fitright size is becasue Santa investigated this year! After realizing they wouldn't fit, he decided to make me some, sneaking into my house while I was at work to measure and remeasure the window frames. Each of the four panels has removable dowels at top and bottom allowing me to change the fabric panels at will. Mom thought I could make quilts that would fit the space but I started with just the purple fabric as it was faster to start with. I thought it might be fun to make Christmas panels some day.
I was really surpirsed at how much bigger and brighter the space seemed after removing those half rotten sheers that came with the house. I still need to make the valance - I have fabric that looks like green Olfa mats and I will probably use the same purple to "line" them so the purple shows from the outside.
Next remodel job here at Casa Grande is my bedroom...then I can do the Studio!! I'll paint the trim white again and the recessed panels under the windows will be purple, the floors will get the same laminate as the rest of the house (yeah - no more pink carpet!) and I'll finally have to decide what to do about the paneling. The window bump out area appears to have the original wallpaper on plaster. It will be a bugger to remove but since it's starting to crumble at the bottom it will probably need to be replaced.