CHATEAU De SKINNER

Spring has finally arrived! 
I'm celebrating this by completely altering a dingy black birdhouse into something of a shabby chic "Chateau De Skinner".  Using DecoArt Products and a combination of Andy's wonderful new Illusionary Artist and Stampendous stamp sets, I was able to imagine and create this beautiful little home decor piece.

Here is the finished piece ... certainly a lot different style from most of the artistic adventures done using Andy's wonderful products.  But, I love finding ways to mix different genres.  Join me on this adventure to see how you too can use your imagination to completely alter anything!

In the upper right corner, you can see the original birdhouse.  Pretty plain, dark and dingy.   DecoArt's lovely Americana Decor Everlasting Chalky Finish paint is the perfect base color to completely transform this rather drab house.  Adding first DecoArt's Vintage Effect Wash in Patina followed with Tan gives the perfect shabby, aged look in a matter of seconds.  I simply applied the Vintage Effect Wash using a damp lint free cloth and wiped away the excess.  Continue to add layers until you achieve the desired effect.  So simple! 

To create a lovely "tile-ish roof", I painted a piece of regular cardboard packing material using DecoArt's Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Sienna followed by DecoArt's White Vintage Effect Wash that I lightly brushed over the top using a wide brush.  It was heat set and then using Black Permanent Ink, I repeatedly stamped the Ouija Board image from Andy's Spook Illusionary Artists stamp set.  I heat set again and then cut the cardboard into 3/4' strips by 1 1/4" blocks. These were used to lay the "tile" on the roof of the house in rows.  I kept the extra pieces to use as "bricks" to surround the arched windows on either side of the house. (You will see the results in an upcoming picture). 

Using Black Permament Ink, I stamped these wonderful Gothic windows onto a piece of Specialty Stamping Paper.  I layered the windows onto three layers of chipboard to give them dimension.  I painted the edges of the cardboard with the Everlasting Chalky Paint as well as the Vintage Effect Wash colors used on the birdhouse.  The panes of the windows were filled in brushing a wash of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Cobalt Teal Hue and water.

To really accentuate the windows, I added the "brick" edging.  You can still see some of the random Ouija Board images on the brick.  Just one more thing I loved about this embellishment!

Using a Dark Brown Permanent Ink, I randomly stamped areas of the house mixing three of Andy's stamp sets.  Ilusionary Artists Tech Trama provided much of the back design. I love the diagrams and how they blend with the much softer images from Andy's Stampendous Shabby Chic and Textures stamp sets.  I also stamped some of these images using a Yellow Ochre ink on the sides and front of the house.

Here is a closeup of one of the sides of the house.  You can also see the tiled roof above.  Here you can see the combination of the yellow and dark brown stamped images.  LOVE the subtle detail that they add!

I created a "Cafe" hanging sign using Andy's Shabby Chic stamp set.  This little sign gives such extra character to the Chateau.  Speaking of the Chateau, I used a partial image of the "Chateau" stamp (from this same stamp set) on white tissue paper and then applied it on the front of the bird house using DecoArt's Media Matte Medium.  It works wonderfully as a glue and a sealer.  You can see "Chateau" on the photograph of the entire birdhouse.

In this picture, you will also notice the greenery on top and around the grounds of the bird house.  This was added using DecoArt Media Matte Medium that was generously brushed onto the surface of the areas.  I sprinkled the greenery and petals (Flowersoft product) and gently pressed the greenery in place to air dry.  Then I lightly sprayed a coating of DecoArt's Americana Sealer over it to secure it in place.

The little clay pots were filled with tiny flowers and glued onto the front side of the birdhouse; welcoming all of it's feathered visitors.  Rhinestones were added to the centers of the flower like stamps on either side of the "doors".  A white wire was covered with the Flower Soft pieces, wrapped with ribbon and I made a little garland across the front of the Chateau with bows on either side. The little pegs in front of the round "doors" were covered with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Metallic Gold paint. I used my fingers to wipe the gold on; leaving a little of the black showing underneath.  I also used my fingertip to lightly add the Metallic Gold color over the raised design on the three metal squares in the center of the birdhouse.
Quite a "chic" little Chateau, don't you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope this shabby "Chateau De Skinner" tutorial has inspired you to not be afraid to blend different genres to create your next masterpiece!

• DecoArt Americana Decor Chalky Finish-Everlasting
• DecoArt Vintage Effect Wash-Patina
• DecoArt Vintage Effect Wash-Tan
• Decoart Vintage Effect Wash-White
• DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Sienna
• DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Metallic Gold
• DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Cobalt Teal Hue
• DecoArt Americana Spray Sealer
• DecoArt Media Matte Medium

• Andy Skinner's Gothic 
• Andy Skinner's Spook
• Andy Skinner's Tech Trauma

• Shabby Chic
• Textures

Miscellaneous  Supplies

• Permanent Black Ink
• Permanent Yellow Ochre Ink
• Specialty Stamping Paper
• Packing Cardboard
• Wooden Birdhouse
• Paint Brushes and lint free cloth
• Ribbon
• Small flowers and clay pots
• White tissue paper
• Rhinestones (for centers of stamped design on front of house)
• Flower Soft of Sweet Pea and Shamrock Green
• Small metal chain and hook (for Cafe sign)
• Chipboard pieces

About the Artist: Candy Colwell

Blog www.candycreates.blogspot.com

Instagram www.instagram.com/candy.colwell

Twitter www.twitter.com/rindacelly

Pinterest www.pinterest.com/mimicandy