"GOOD BONES"
It seems every tree has these little wooden houses lining their branches. We love their gingerbread quality and this one is particularly sweet. Notice the architectural details such as the chimney, shop sign, and window awning. The lace trim is a nice touch, but it's old and tattered so it will have to go. Still, as my real estate agent friends would say, this little guy has "good bones," so let's see what we can do with it.
I removed the lace trim and paper labels, sanding off as much of the glue as I could. (I use a nail file for little things like this.) Then I primed it for a nice clean slate to work with. And the good news is the gold strand was still secure, so I was careful not to get (too much) paint on it.
NOW FOR THE FUN PART...
The basic shape suggested lots of things to me, so I thought I'd let the paint decide. The walls went red which said "school." And who goes to school in the North Pole? Elves, of course.
I painted the trim green, then painted in the windows and doors, and added the sign. (Yes, I need to work on my lettering skills!).
So far so cute. But it was missing that gingerbready feeling the lace gave the original. Solution: more paint. And before I knew it, the entire school was polka-dotted!
Satisfied with the look, I added the snow (Snow-Tex) and a dash of glitter, being sure to shovel out the door so the elves could get to school on time!
ORL #2: ELF SCHOOL
This ornament has been rescued! Please stop by our Etsy shop to see all of our other ornaments that need a home in time for Christmas. And remember...
All proceeds benefit Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence RI
FOR RESCUERS...
If you want to give this a try for yourself, you'll need...
- Wooden Building Ornament
- Paint
- Snow-Tex*
- Shellac Finish
The basic steps are...
- Remove labels and trim
- Clean/sand the ornament, as needed
- Repaint, leaving as much or little of the original design as you like
- Add the snow on the rooftop and other natural areas where snow lands
- Enjoy!
*UNPAID ENDORSEMENT
I'm a huge fan of Snow-Tex so you'll be seeing it a lot on this blog. It makes everything look so festive... and professional... without a lot of fuss or effort. I've found Snow-Tex at all the major craft stores but in case you can't find it, here's the link to their website.... Snow-Tex. But know this. No one is paying for any endorsements here. If they ever do, I'll let you know.
Merry Christmas!
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