Monday, July 29, 2013

A Simply Artful Home

Hello everyone.  I'm really happy that you decided to visit today because I have a cute little project to share with you.  It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time.  After the Summer of Color3 wrapped up, I decided I was going to create A Simply Artful Home, for the birds!

Here it is!

 
 
I've had the bird house for quite a while and I decided to work on it a few months ago when I found these fantastic papers at my absolute favorite paper arts store,  The Queen's Ink.  I love poppies  and I loved the polka dot paper.  Both the house and the paper sat in my studio since May and last week I decided the time had come.  So, I got to work! 
 
I painted the house with red acrylic paint and then made a pattern for the front and back so I could cut the polka dot paper accurately.  That was easier said than done, but it worked out after a few adjustments.  The roof used a coordinating stripe and then it was time for the poppies.  I love making flat things dimensional so I cut duplicates of each flower.  I applied the first set to the front of the house and then cut the parts that were the front petals of each flower and attached them to the corresponding part on the flower with foam tape.  I then used a toothpick to curl parts of the edges.  I had already glued a die cut medallion with a hole cut in the middle around the opening.  At this point I didn't know how to proceed.  While walking around Michael's one day I came across these little picket fence pieces in the unpainted wood aisle.  I also found the little bird.  He was pink but a little Distress stain took care of that.  I painted the fence pieces and sponged some Vintage Photo Distress ink on them.  The little bird on the fence was a Tim Holtz charm that I painted to look rusty. 
A little moss at the base of the fence and the little newly colored bird completed the front.  The sides also had the fence pieces and the  moss.  The moss served to help glue the fence to the base and added a little shrubbery to the house. 
 
I then went to work on the back.
 
 
 
More fence and moss, of course, but also a sign to let everyone know that this is a simply artful house!   The key hole and key is in the back so that it's not readily seen from the front and other birds can't just go in and make themselves at home!!!  I don't know if you do that, but I often create a little story in my head when I'm working on a project like this.
 
 
Here are some close ups of the details.
 



 

The side and roof.
 
 
 
The rusty fence ornament.
 
And, the flowers.
 
I hope you've enjoyed the tour of the artful bird house.  I had a great time making it.  Thank you for visiting my blog today.  I hope you have a wonderful day and that you do something creative!
 


8 comments:

  1. OMG I absolutely adore this!! My kitchen is adorned with birds and birdhouses..I even have a wooden birdcage hanging from my ceiling, with a fake little parakeet inside! I can certainly appreciate all the work...and creativity...that you put into this awesome little home!! every little detail is perfection! I love it!

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  2. I love how it turned out, and I knew you'd be happy with it! Those papers are fabulous, especially for this time of year. And isn't it satisfying to have such a big project finished? ;)

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  3. Blown away as usual! This is so pretty! Those poppies are DIVINE!!!!

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  4. Adore your cute and beautiful birdhouse!! and so pleased you won the shopping spree at Frilly and Funkie for your super summer layout. Hugs, Jenny x

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  5. Oh my goodness - I LOVE this! The papers are just out of this world and I shall be googling The Queens Ink after I've written this! Everything works just perfectly together and if I was a bird I would definitely live in this property!

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  6. Fabulous design, I love the poppies, colors and fun design.

    Regards diane

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  7. I absolutely love this wonderful altered birdhouse! It is simply beautiful and so full of amazing and wonderful details! I love the front and back!!!!!

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  8. A work of love! I like that you left the birdhouse natural. Great contrast with the red. Hugs, Yvonne

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