Tweet Americana Birdhouse!

Hi! I am Sue Kithcart from Upstate N.Y. in the USA! So this months theme is perfect for me!
July's theme is Americana or red/white and blue which is perfect for me as I decorate my patio in Americana theme! I also love birdhouses so I choose to altered a birdhouse for my project!

This is the wood birdhouse I choose but any birdhouse will work, paper mache or wood.
The first thing I did was to coat the entire birdhouse in white paint. The roof  was painted in white due to
the fact that I am crackling the roof in a two color crackle, but I also painted the house part so if any of the paper did not cover totally I would have a white base.

Once the white paint was dry I then took weathered wood crackle medium (any one step crackle medium will work. This is crackle medium not crackle paint) I coated the entire roof and sides of the roof with crackle medium.

Once the crackle medium is totally dry, I then took my midnight blue paint and painted the entire roof, right over the crackle medium. The biggest mistake people make with crackle medium is painting the top coat of paint too thin!!! Use plenty of paint! It will look almost gunky at first!

After the paint on the roof dried, I then took a scrap piece of paper and poke a whole where the perch would be in the center of the paper and made a pattern to cut my pattern paper with.  I then used YES PASTE and brushed it on the front of the bird house. (you can also use mod podge or whatever your favorite altering glue is) This is then done to the sides and back (if desired) also.

Now the fun begins.... Decorating the bird house! I punched out some stars to carry on the Americana theme and put stars on the roof with button centers. I decorated around the hole with flowers. Of course I had to add a few butterflies also!

Now if you have looked close you will notice I made a small error and did not cut the paper high enough just under the roof! NOT a problem, I added some white lace along the edge of the roof!

I hope you like my project and if you have any questions I would be glad to help!!!! I look forward to seeing your Americana projects and I would also love to see some birdhouse altering!