Steampunk Birdhouse

This was one of those projects that just happened as it went along, It started with no plan at all really. It began with an Ohh when I got the bird house out of its delivery box, I stuck on the cogs and then it sat there.....then my Verday arrived, so to me the logical step seemed to be to paint it. So it all went Copper....and then it sat there again, whilst I got on with other things and thought about it. I decided on a rusty roof, so I gave it a coat of the  Iron over the copper base and spritzed it. 

You can see the result in this photo

It was at this point I realised I should be taking photo's.

Basic items I started with: the Bird House, Die cut chipboard cogs and Ten Seconds Studio Metal. Other things will be added later but I don't know what yet.

I want some kind of stand for it so I am sitting here staring round my room hoping that something will appear, I think I need to go and investigate the garage and shed......be back soon. 

Well look what I found, I had forgotten all about this propeller. I picked up 2 of them at a reclamation yard I go to ( I actually go there so often that the lovely man who owns it now keeps me odd bits and pieces, and he had saved me these) I had put them in a box in the shed with lots of other bits, it was like Christmas. The bun knobs will be the feet, but the propeller will be used on it somewhere.

I have now decided to patina the sides so they go bluey / green, so I have applied the brass and copper paint over the copper base coat, and then spritzed it. It's now sitting and drying and waiting for the patina to appear. I use an old tray covered with paper when I spray with the patina as its then easy to move out of the way. I also added some of this patina colour to the roof, to pull the roof and the sides together a bit.

Painted and spritzed, waiting to dry, you can already see the colours starting to appear.

The next morning, you can see how the colours have appeared.

I painted the little bun feet in the same way as the house, but as the propeller was already metal and  rusty I decided I did not want to totally cover this up, just blend it into the colour scheme of the house a bit. So I gave it a quick swish around with the copper paint and then while this first coat was wet I spritzed it and I got the effect I wanted, it pooled in areas on the propeller and left some areas untouched. I wanted it to look like it had been left in the garden and just aged and I think I got this quite well, so I was very happy.

The propeller and feet once the verday is dry.

I stamped the clock image directly onto the Copper metal sheeting (I used Stazon) and then cut this out using a pair of scissor snips I have, I have found using my normal craft scissors on metal to much, can blunt them. Using a strong glue, I stuck this over the circular hole in the front of the house. I then layered up a few of the chipboard cogs, gave them the verday treatment. I added these to the clock front adding clock hands and an old rusty upholstery to the enter. I now glued on the feet and added the propeller.

I now now die cut some flowers and a butterfly Ten Seconds Studio Metal. 

I embossed the metal, using an embossing folder and my big shot.

I applied the patina solution directly to the metal using a sponge and left the patina colour to develop. When it is dry lightly sand the die cut shaped to remove the patina finish from the raised areas. 

Look how gorgeous this butterfly looks.

I now layered the die cuts up to make flowers, adding a bead to the centre with a piece of wire, and bending the petals to shape. I left the wire long enough to attach the flowers to the bird house with, and have enough spare to leave a small coiled length. I wound a piece of rusty wire around the bird house and attached the flowers and butterfly to this.

The Flowers finished and attached.

Thank you for taking the time to read this very long blog post and I do appreciate any comments that are left. Ten Seconds Studios metal and Verday Products are available from Ten seconds Studio.  They are on Facebook, and you can find their Blog HERE. In the UK you can purchase Ten Seconds Studio products from Happy Daze.

I also used the following products on my house.

Steampunk Birdhouse From Happy Daze

Tim Holtz Tattered Flower Garland die

Butterfly Die from Crafty Individuals

Carol x