Here's a birdhouse accent with lots of seasonal glitz and glitter.

SUPPLIES

• water container
• palette or plastic plate
• tracing paper
• transfer paper
• soft cloth
• 1" flat brush
• tacky glue
• #0 liner brush
• #12 flat brush
• stylus
• plain white copy paper
• cardstock
• palette knife
• #12 shader brush
• embellishments of choice
• gears and negatives
• Scotch tape
• birdhouse with birds
• check sampler
• Cluny lace
• primer
• costume jewelry
• snowflakes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. BACKGROUND: Glue one 3” piece of the Cluny lace at the base of the birdhouse roof and one 6” piece under the perch.
2. Stencil at random, in different locations, on the front of the birdhouse. (Note: Some of the stencils will have to be cut to fit up into the peak of the roof.) Hold the Andy Skinner Incognito Stencil in place, pick up Dimensional Effects on the back of the palette knife blade and butter over the stencil, just like buttering toast. Allow to dry.
3. Repeat the stenciling process with the Americana Decor Classic Quartrefoil Stencil. Allow to dry.
4. Repeat the process with various-sized snowflakes going right over the lace and other stenciling. Allow to dry.
5. Repeat the process with the checked stencil from the Laurie Speltz check sampler, using the medium-sized check.

6. Glue on the embellishments of choice (old pieces of jewelry, buttons, scrapbooking items, etc.) using the tacky glue.
7. Lightly spray the entire piece with the white metal primer. Let dry.

8. PAINTING: Apply the pattern for the Christmas tree using the tracing and transfer papers or just free-hand a long triangle with a trunk.
9. Using the 1” flat brush, basecoat the entire birdhouse, birds, leaves, etc., in Bleached Sand. Allow to dry.
10. Using the 1” flat brush, antique the entire piece by applying a light coat of Raw Umber Antiquing Cream and wiping off excess for a soft cloth. Let dry.
11. Using the 1” flat brush, wash the tops of the birds and randomly around the top edge and the sides of the birdhouse with Quinacridone Red.
12. Using the 1” flat brush, wash randomly with Primary Yellow.
13. Using the 1” flat brush, wash randomly with Dioxazine Purple.
14. Using the 1” flat brush, wash randomly on the birdhouse and the outside edge of the butterfly wings with Cobalt Turquoise Hue.
15. Using the #12 flat brush, wash the tree, leaves (at the top of the birdhouse), and hook fairly heavily in Yellow Green Light.
16. Using the #12 flat brush, wash randomly on the tree, leaves, and the hook with Phthalo Green-Blue.
17. Using the #12 shader brush, lightly wash the tree and the leaves randomly with a mix of Phthalo Green-Blue plus a touch of Burnt Umber.
18. Side-load the 1” flat brush and stroke the tree trunk in Burnt Umber.
19. Using the #0 liner brush, outline the tree, trunk, and birds in Carbon Black.
20. Using the 1” flat brush, wash the roof with a mix of Titanium White plus a touch of Carbon Black.
21. In random spots, spritz the birdhouse with White (Shimmer) Mister.

22. Using the #0 liner brush, paint a few of the large gears on the tree in Carbon Black; highlight with strokes of Silver (Metallic) or Burnt Umber highlighted with Gold (Metallic).
23. Print off the "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas" words and trim around the edge. Apply the sayings to small pieces of black cardstock using Matte Medium and trim around the edge.
24. Using the #12 flat brush, lightly wash the words randomly with Burnt Umber and Cobalt Turquoise Hue.
25. Using the #12 flat brush, attach the words to the birdhouse with Matte Medium.
26. Glue embellishments of choice to the tree. A few of them you can hit with touches of Gold (Metallic) and Silver (Metallic).

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