The Christmas House

The outer box for the Christmas House Mini is finished. I think. I may add a few bits to it... maybe. I'm sort of "hmmm-ing" and "haaa-ing" about it. Anyway... as I promised to reveal the box today, I will do. Just don't expect much else - I have been up for 32 hours straight and my brain is in melt-mode *lol*

The papers were an absolute bargain - from Mad About Cards and Pickwells - I found a whole load of Papermania Silk Screened Paper in three different designs. It's so pretty, and although it's highlighted a lot with gold, it also matches really well with silver because of the blue shot through the papers too. I liked the idea of pink and brown (the main colours of the papers), as it reminded me of cinnamon (or gingerbread men) and cranberries.

This was the house before it was completely finished... remember I said that I was waiting for something to arrive in the post to complete it...? Well, obviously it arrived - I'll show you what it was in a minute...

The back of the house:

The chimney was a LOT easier to put on than those pretty little windows at the front *lol*

The door has a wreath charm on it... and on the snow-topped door knob is a little tiny stocking charm with a teensy-weeny candy cane sticking out of it.

All the windows (and the door also) were made simply by cutting out chipboard, painting it with Gesso, and then applying a thin layer of clear crackle gloss. I backed them with some of the papers in a plain brown. Only the bay window was made differently - more of that in just a little while.

To make the 'snow', I simply drizzled hot glue whereever I wanted the snow to be, and then painted it with gesso. When this was dry, I added Diamond Stickles lightly with my finger. To complete the look, I sprayed over the whole house with Cosmic Shimmer Mist (the white pearl).

I think the Cosmic Shimmer shows quite well in the photograph.

Now for that bay window...

I made it separately, and instead of a plain brown backing, I stuck a photograph behind it - it's a Christmas tree and a fireplace with candles on it. The picture is quite dark and brown-toned as I didn't want it to be too obvious. Something was missing... I knew there was a little 'extra' that was needed to make the window complete. A cat. It was this little missing item that I had to wait for - I hate waiting for things to arrive in the post!

 

I managed to find a little one at 1/24th scale... but then I had to paint it! Green eyes, pink nose... and grey tabby fur :)

I think he looks quite at home peering through the window... and he completes my outer-box for my Christmas House Mini quite well :)