Halloween House season has started

Post by **Lucy** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 5:50 pm

I am at it again, making Halloween houses. I talked to the director of development for our local chapter of Habitat for Humanity and got permission to make and sell my houses for them. I intend to display them at a local art gallery and I needed to be able to say it was ok that I am raising money for Habitat.

Anyway, here is the 3rd house for this season. It's a very simple house structurally.

Post by **BrianB** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 8:58 pm

Great house Lucy, the siding and lawn, all of it is quite magnificent!!!
-Brian

Post by **DCrowe** » Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:51 pm

Hauntingly beautiful, Lucy. Great work. Best of luck with the fundraising for Habitat.

Post by **Lynn** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:54 am

Lucy, a great house and a great thing you are doing!

How did you make the lawn?

Post by **Lucy** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:48 pm

Thank you everybody. Lynn, you asked how I made the lawn - well, I traced the house and drew a shape for the 1st layer and then made each successive layer bigger. I meant to do stairs all the way down, but the base I made was too small to allow that. Then I covered it with a thin layer of paper mache to cover up the corrugations on the cardboard. Then paint. First gesso, then successive layers of color.

I have trouble with colors. I am content with black, white, grey and blue. I could work with them all day and never flinch. But when I add colors I struggle. I started off with a very green lawn which didn't fit the house, then I did some yellow highlights, then black. I just get my brush and randomly put color there. Most times I have to go over things to either lighten or darken the effect. The paper mache gives the random texture which I really like. Is that what you were asking about?

Thank you again for your kind comments.

Post by **Lynn** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 6:36 am

Thanks Lucy, what a great idea, I think the colors are perfect!!

Clinton · Post by **Clinton** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 12:39 pm

SpoOkeriffic Lucy! Love it...

Robin S · Post by **Robin S** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:27 am

Lucy,

I am wondering about the roof. How did you achieve that look?

If I wasn't currently working on Hogwarts I would be spending my time making Halloween villages! Thanks for sharing!!

Robin

Post by **Lucy** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:14 am

Robin,

Making a rusted tin roof is easy. You only need 2 things really:
1. Metallic duct tape (real HVAC duct tape, not the flexible DUCK tape) which is easy to find at a home improvement store. 1 roll will last for my entire little house-making lifetime.
2. Alcohol inks (or perhaps colored sharpies. Maria said something about using sharpies to make your own alcohol ink. You might be able to color on the metallic tape with a sharpie. I will have to experiment with that.)

Score the metallic tape. Put splotches of rust-colored alcohol inks on the tape and then streak a little black paint on it. Sometimes to give a rusty texture I use a gritty texture paste on portions of the tape, but not always.

Tape to your roof. Add more ink if you need to and that's it.

Here is the link for making a rusted tin roof I posted on this forum https://www.cardboardchristmas.com/foru ... ?f=4&t=945.

I also wrote a tutorial on my blog, I think they contain the same information and pictures. https://paperglitterglue.com/rusted-tin ... -tutorial/

I hope you figure out the picture thing soon because I would love to see your progress on your village.

Lucy

Robin S · Post by **Robin S** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:43 am

Lucy,

Thanks! I've heard of alcohol inks and seen their applications before but haven't used them. This putz thing is really the first hobby/crafting venture I've ever tried. I've thought about doing some other craft things before but never followed through. So I have a very base understanding of all the available products out there. You mention gesso a lot and I don't know what that was exactly so I had to Google It! Learning more everyday!! This is so much fun.