Using a wooden bird house and a few simple craft supplies, you can make a spooky decoration that will have friends flocking over to admire.
Needed:
Wooden Bird House – To get started, choose your favorite unfinished wooden bird house. Michael’s has a large selection ($4.99-7.99). Robert’s only carries one and it already looks haunted. Keep the decorating process in mind as you choose. Those will a lot of detail take more time to paint. The surfaces should be relatively simple if you are going to cover them with Halloween paper.
Acrylic Paint – In colors like black, white, orange, green, purple, silver, red and brown. One of my favorites is named “Metallic Sequin Black” (FolkArt brand). The glitter paints can also be a lot of fun.
Sponge Brush/Paint Brushes – The sizes you need depend on the amount of detail on your birdhouse. If there are small surfaces, you will need a small brush.
Hack Saw Blade & Sand Paper – You will need this if you want to saw off the bird perch dowels. (I recommend removing them on the Paper Birdhouse.)
LED Tea Lights – These battery-operated lights area great option for lighting your house from the inside. They are available at most craft stores. If there isn’t enough room to put it through a window onto the bottom, drill several holes (close together) in a circular pattern on the bottom of the bird house. Then push the piece of wood out, leaving room for the light to sit on the bottom.
From there, choose your favorite style and start creating. Here are a few to consider…
Halloween Paper House
Needed:
Halloween Card Stock – Choose 2 or 3 that look good together for different surfaces of the house.
Mod Podge
Scissors/Paper Cutter
Ruler
Embellishments – Choose from stickers, chip board stickers, glitter, ribbon, silk leaves, feathers, buttons, and moss.
Modeling Clay (optional) – You can mold this into shapes like a crooked chimney
Instructions:
1. Use your saw to remove the bird perch dowels. Sand the surface so it is smooth and flush with the house.
2. Paint any surface that will remain exposed. This could include the side of the roof, the base, a chimney and any place the paper is difficult to fit exactly. (See Fig. 1)
3. Cut the paper to cover each surface of the house. Using a ruler to measure, cut a piece of card stock to cover the surfaces. For the round holes or windows, place the paper on the surface and use your finger to gently press the outline onto the paper. Use the pressed line as a guide to cut a hole.
4. Decoupage surfaces. Use Mod Podge to adhere paper to surfaces. Let dry overnight. Apply embellishments that you want under the top coat of Mod Podge. Adhere clay chimney. Finish by applying a top coat of Mod Podge over the whole house.
5. Apply embellishments. Add any other desired embellishments as a finishing touch.
Hansel & Gretel House
Needed:
Halloween Candy – Choose several different kinds in colors and shapes that will look good on your house. I used jelly beans, gum drops, Peanut Butter eyeballs, candy corn, pumpkins, skull and bone candy (Wilton Brand from Michael’s)
3D Paint – Use to create fine detail on the house. It is the equivalent to icing on a gingerbread house.
Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Embellishments
Instructions:
1. Use your saw to remove the bird perch dowels, if desired. Sand the surface so it is smooth and flush with the house.
2. Paint all surfaces. Although you will have candy covering some of the house, it looks best with a coat of paint underneath. Let dry.
3. Apply 3D paint decoration. Let dry.
4. Use hot glue to adhere candy to house. As much or as little as you’d like! Add any other embellishments
5. Keep out of reach of hungry children!
Spooky Dot House (to be lit with black light)
Needed:
White paint
White clay – Make sure it can be cooked to harden or that it will air dry on its own. I used Model Magic Modeling Material (Crayola brand).
Embellishments – Especially in white
Silver Floral Wire
Wire Cutters
Drill with very small bit
Instructions:
1. Use your saw to remove the bird perch dowels, if desired. Sand the surface so it is smooth and flush with the house.
2. Mold clay to spooky shapes. (like bats and ghosts) Shape floral wire around a pencil and cut. Stick one end into the clay so it can dry in place.
3. Paint all surfaces. Remember, anything white will glow under black light. Bright colors are also fun. I used the eraser of a pencil, dipped in paint, to create polka dots.
4. Drill holes into house for shapes on wire. Insert shapes. You may want to secure in place with hot glue.
5. (Optional) Spray clear coat of craft finishing spray over house.
Questions or comments? Send us an e-mail at studio5@ksl.com
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