Advent Calender with Bird Houses – Rachelle Sigurdson

Hello,I am here to share with you a Advent Calender,that I decided to top off with bird houses….

I used the Vintage Frost Basics Collection for this project…..

From this collection I used: 1st of Dec, Days of Dec-BS,11th of Dec,10th of Dec-BS, 20th of Dec-BS,6th of Dec,8th of Dec & the Christmas Die cut sheet. I also used the Die cut sheet from the Vintage Winter Collection

Other products used: Prima Stencil static 6×6,Prima sunset,sunrise roses silver,Prima engraver collection-trim,Tim Holtz rock candy crackle, TH,rock candy glitter,TH picket fence crackle,TH gem clips,Martha Stewart Texture effects white,lace,burlap,liquid accents,stickles,micro beads,seed beads

The Advent Calender is wood & all drawers slide open. Dusty Attic has some beautiful inserts, to go in the Calender, I used part of one of the inserts,then decided to play…….

I distressed my Maja Papers, did some stencil work,using texture effects & once that dried I glued the paper to the back & sides.I also had made layers,that look like snow drifts,under the star area (to have the sky & the ground)that you can see on the lower photo on the left side. Well, I spent hours on that & started to embellish & lost my layers!

I love,love all of the Maja die cuts, so that is why, I wanted to create a winter,Christmas scene using them…

I tried my best at getting it 3D……

On all the paper, except for most of the die cuts I applied rock candy crackle, then sprinkled on rock candy glitter…..

I cut out pieces of paper for the roofs & some of the houses,on a couple houses I used the mini brick. I again applied the rock candies & once that dried I used some texture effects on the roof,& sprinkled on some glitter while that was still wet….

I used texture effects on the stars & sprinkled on micro beads & glitter….

I did the same with all the trees….I left the fence raw,except for the effects on the top…the fence is the birdcage #5,that I cut off the top & flipped it upside down….

I used picket fence crackle on the lamp posts,rubbed in some brown chalk once the crackle dried,then added some texture effects to the top…..

I cut out a couple pieces of paper for the little drawers,glued the full piece on,then the ripped piece on, with a piece of lace in between.I then applied a coat of rock candy crackle,& sprinkled one some RC glitter. The little knobs are Tim Holtz paper clips (gem clips). I cut off most of the clip,leaving enough so that I hammer in a hole with my little hammer & paper pierce on the box,to glue on the knob….

Shows the 3D,on the floor I used the brick paving. On the brick I used picket fence crackle & sprinkled on RC glitter while it was wet….

Now for the bird houses,I Looooooove the bird houses!!!!So much fun to play with & another little winter scene!!!!

This is where I used the die cuts from the Vintage Winter Collection.

I did the same to the bird houses as I had done with the drawers…….

I cut out pieces of the Maja paper for the birds,inked the edges,glued them on to the chipboard,applied some crackle & used a pearl for a eye.On the grass clusters I used picket fence crackle,on the stems,then rubbed in chalk. On the heads of the grass I applied RC crackle,then sprinkled on micro beads & glitter while wet. I left the wagon wheel raw,except for a brad in the center,inking the edges & texture effects & glitter on top….

I punched out scalloped  layers for the the roof, then applied texture effects to the scallops…

I love to play with these altered pieces,only problem is, is that you can’t stop working on them,because you want to see the end result. I love how the bird houses turned out with the woodsy, outdoorsy feel!!!

I want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas & all the Best for Year 2014….Rachelle