Transform a Simple Birdhouse into a Festive Christmas Masterpiece

Are you ready to add some festive cheer to your home with a charming Christmas birdhouse? This project, demonstrated by the talented Donna from Mason Creations etc., is perfect for both beginner and experienced crafters. With a little patience and creativity, you can transform a simple wooden birdhouse into a delightful Christmas decoration. Watch the video below to see the process in action.

Step 1: Preparing Your Birdhouse

Donna starts with a small wooden birdhouse, which she found at a discount store. The first step is to smooth any rough edges with a quick sanding. Next, she paints the entire birdhouse with Dixie Belle’s Chalk Mineral Paint in the color "Cotton," a bright white that provides the perfect base for decoupage. This white base ensures that the colors in the rice paper stay vibrant and true to their design.

Step 2: Decoupaging the Birdhouse

For the decoupage, Donna chooses a beautiful greenery pattern from a Christmas-themed rice paper. She uses a water brush to tear the edges of the rice paper, as torn edges blend seamlessly into the background, avoiding harsh lines.

Polyvine’s Decorators Varnish serves as both an adhesive and a sealant. Donna carefully brushes the varnish onto the birdhouse, applies the rice paper, and brushes over it again with the varnish to ensure a smooth finish. After allowing it to dry for about an hour, she sands off any excess rice paper at the edges and cuts out the heart-shaped hole that was covered during the decoupage process.

Step 3: Adding Details and Aging the Birdhouse

Once the decoupage is complete, Donna paints the exposed wood areas in a tan color that complements the greenery pattern. Using a fine-tip Sharpie, she draws vertical lines on the birdhouse to create a wooden plank effect. To give the birdhouse an aged, rustic look, Donna mixes dark brown paint with water and dabs it over the lines with a stiff brush, then blends it with a makeup sponge.

Step 4: Sealing and Protecting Your Work

To protect the entire project, Donna applies a coat of Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish, which is heat and water-resistant, as well as food safe. This varnish, available in a satin finish at Decoupagenapkins.com, gives the birdhouse a beautiful, durable finish.

Step 5: Adding Snowy and Festive Embellishments

No Christmas project would be complete without a bit of snow! Donna uses a stencil and Pentart's Snow Crystal paste to add snowy, glittery details to the roof and fence of the birdhouse. She paints the areas under the snow with white paint to ensure the snow paste stands out. For an added touch, she includes small red birds and a pink poinsettia from Prima.

Step 6: Finishing Touches

Finally, Donna attaches a red satin ribbon hanger to the back of the birdhouse, making it easy to display. The end result is a stunning, festive decoration that’s sure to bring holiday cheer to any space.

Thank you to Donna at Mason Creations etc. for sharing her expertise with us! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive 10% off your next order and to stay updated on our latest products and tutorials. Happy crafting!