Haunted Mausoleum Birdhouse

This week for my Cindi's Simple Solutions project on When Creativity Knocks - I'm sharing this creepy fun project.....

Just in time for Halloween, add a little spooky glow to your mantle this season with this Haunted Mausoleum Birdhouse!  

Materials:

Plaid® - Wooden birdhouse 

            - FolkArt® Home Decor Chalk Paint - Maui Sand, Rich Black

            - FolkArt® Home Decor Antique Wax

Makin’s Clay® - Black

                - Cutting Mat 

                - Ultimate Clay Machine™

                - Professional® Clay tools 

                - Texture Sheet Set D - Woodgrain Sheet 

                        - Easter Clay Cutter - Cross Cutter

Beacon Adhesives® Tacky Glue 

Spellbinders® Grand Calibur™ Machine - Graveyard Scene & Shapes Die 

X-Acto craft knife 

Skull mold (special thanks to my Fairy Craftmother for mine!) 

Skull bead 

Paintbrush 

Paper towels 

Spanish Moss

Charcoal grey paper/card stock 

Battery operated votive 

Spiderwebbing 

Plastic wrap 

Instructions: 

1. Paint entire birdhouse with Plaid® FolkArt® Home Decor Maui Sand Chalk Paint.  Let dry. 

2. Roll black Makin’s Clay® with Ultimate Clay Machine™ to setting #7 (or hand roll very thin - about 1/16”).   Use Woodgrain texture sheet to gently impress texture onto rolled clay.  Using cutting mat as a guide, use cutter to cut 2 x 2cm squares.  Apply Beacon® Tacky Glue to surface of roof, then begin applying squares, overlapping some, to create look of shingles.  Let dry. 

3. Dry brush shingles with Maui Sand chalk paint.  

4. Use black clay in skull push mold to create skull. 

5. Flatten piece of black clay (I used my fingers, as I wanted an uneven appearance) to about 1/4”.  Place plastic wrap over clay, and cut cross using clay cutter. (Tip - Plastic wrap makes it easy to remove the clay from the clay cutter!) 

6.  Dry brush skull and cross with Maui Sand chalk paint.

7.  Use Tacky Glue to mount skull to front top of birdhouse, over opening, and cross to roof peak.

8. Flatten piece of black clay (I used my fingers, as I wanted an uneven appearance) to about 1/4”.  Use clay tool to write/etch desired word into clay.  Trim around word.  Dry brush with Maui Sand chalk paint.  Use Tacky Glue to mount to birdhouse beneath skull. 

9. Mix small amount of Rich Black and small amount of Maui Sand chalk paint to create darker grey.  Paint door onto front of birdhouse over hole on bottom.  Outline door in black, and paint center line to divide door.    

10. Use paper towel to apply small amount of Antique Wax to all surfaces except roof.  Wipe to remove excess.   

11.  Use Spellbinders® Grand Calibur™ and Graveyard Scene & Shapes die to cut 4 graveyards from charcoal paper.

12.  Apply Tacky Glue to top of bottom piece of birdhouse, mount Spanish moss.

13.  Apply Tacky Glue to outside edge of bottom piece of birdhouse, mount graveyard scenes over edge around base, leaving a space for the “front step” of the mausoleum. 

14.  Add skull bead accent to front step. 

15.  Add spiderwebs as desired. 

16.  Optional:  To make your Haunted Mausoleum glow - use a sturdy craft knife to cut an opening in the bottom of the birdhouse.  The birdhouses are made from lightweight wood so this is possible if do with caution. (or else your mausoleum will come complete with blood stains!)