Show Us Your Metal – Spooky Abandoned Farmhouse

I have entered another craft challenge – the Simon Monday Challenge entitled “Show Us Your Metal” meaning include some metal in your work. Ok, another challenge that immediately stimulated an idea  which included a little house, of course. I am working on my houses for Halloween and Christmas because it takes me so long to get my collection together. I thought I would combine the craft challenge with the houses I am making to sell for the fundraiser.

One house that everyone talked about from last year was the rusted tin roof Halloween house so I decided to make a variation on that house for the metal challenge.

I am very pleased with how this house turned out. I often name the houses – this one is the Spooky Abandoned Farmhouse (with a wrought iron fence). So the house has a tin roof and a metal fence to fulfill the requirements of the challenge.

I used my custom die once again to make the house but I cut off one of the front gables because I wanted the house to be a little smaller. My plan is to make most of my houses smaller since now some people have more than one and they may need the room for display.

I painted the house a streaky grey with purple window panes. Just wanted to try some purple. The roof is metal duct tape rusted with Ranger alcohol inks. The base is just layers of corrugated cardboard covered with card stock painted ochre (my favorite craft paint color, I don’t know why) and streaks of Tim Holtz Black Soot distress paint. The tree is the Tim Holtz Branch tree which is absolutely perfect for every Halloween house. The fence is a La La Land die. I added some spider web scrollwork on each gable from a La La Land die that looks a bit like this one. I just cut it to fit the gables.

The leaves are from various punches in different colored card stock or card stock colored with spray inks.

So that is my latest craft challenge. I am always happy when I make the little houses. This one was really fun. The next house will be a cuckoo clock.