Shabby Chic Birdhouse

*This Shabby Chic Birdhouse post is sponsored by Rust-oleum. This post contains a brief how to and review of the following product. I was provided the Varathane Ultimate Wood Stain in Antique Aqua for this project. All opinions are my own.

I have had within my possession a birdhouse that my hubby so lovingly built for me after I asked him to a couple of years ago. I thought of painting it with chalk paint but didn’t like the idea of having to distress it after. So as I waited for the right product, the birdhouse sat and waited to be painted.

Fast forward to a few months ago. I received a lovely inquiry from Rust-Oleum saying that they loved my Instagram feed and would I like to receive a few products to try out. For the products, I would write a review and give social media coverage of my products. Of course I said yes! They were willing to send me two new products of my choosing based on availability. I have been loving the Rust-Oleum gold spray paint for so many of my chic office DIYs for years now. Check out my post on “5 Tips to Style a Floating Shelf ” for Gold spray paint inspiration.

1. Prep your wood surface

The birdhouse I used for this project was from scrap lumber so there were some knots and uneven parts to the wood. There was also pencil markings and old paint patches from the kids having some fun with it as a craft project. I took some sandpaper to some of the surface. I did not sand all of it as I was eager to try out my product and was thinking the stain would cover the old pencil and paint. The stain covered some of the imperfections but not all. The imperfections are what makes it a perfect shabby chic birdhouse.

2. Apply Product

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the product was to apply and how quickly it dried. After I shook the can to mix the product, I used a sponge brush to apply a thin coat. As you can see below, the thicker area of paint is how it applied with the sponge brush. Then I used a cotton rag to wipe away the excess as shown in the area above the thicker paint area. And that was all there was to applying the product. It dried within a half an hour and had minimal odour.

3. Paint on designs

I used a painting technique that I typically incorporate with paper and watercolour but I thought I would try it with acrylic craft paint. I used three colours; light pink, cherry cobbler and a chartreuse green all from craftsmart. I started with the light pink to get the whole shape then while it was still wet, I added the cherry cobbler in the middle then let it mix with the light pink as I got further towards the outer part of the rose. The green was added for the simple leaves.

I love mixing different elements for any seasonal home decor but fresh is especially lovely in the spring time. This potted tulip, I picked up for a touch of greenery. I also added pussy willows and carnations for the fresh element. I like incorporating white jars and vases with galvanized materials as well. Vintage linens and vases tie the old and the new together.

Free Printables

I incorporated one of my FREE Printable watercolor art pieces to complete this arrangement. This “Enjoy the Journey” Bicycle print can be downloaded and printed off from the Free Printables Gallery page. I incorporated this print into another home decor display for my Spring Home Tour that featured 24 other Canadian Bloggers and their Spring Home Tours.

I truly love this china cabinet from my grandparents but it is in need of a modern touch up to brighten up the space. This antique piece was in my childhood home as it housed all of the old family portraits. I have chosen to display my grandmother’s teacups and china that we make regular use of. I haven’t totally made up my mind which colour I will go with but when I do, it will make a lovely before and after diy craft/home decor tutorial post.

Mixing Old With New

Like the shabby chic birdhouse represents; I love mixing the old with the new. This oil painting represents something old. It is an original oil painting that a neighbor of my family’s painted when I was only two. It still is in the original frame. The only thing “new” that I changed is the frame color. I painted some of the frames in this gallery wall arrangement in the same pale blue (Innocence by Benjamin Moore). To get a complete guide on how to create a gallery wall arrangement of any size that is properly placed, check out my tutorial called “How to Create a Gallery Wall 101“

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Remember to pin image to read later or share to Pinterest. Thank you! 

A big thank you to Rust-Oleum for sponsoring this post with the Varathane Ultimate Wood Stain in Antique Aqua. I look forward to more diy craft projects to use this product with. If you liked this shabby chic birdhouse tutorial, please share the love with a comment, share or pin.

Blessings from my house to yours,

Darlene