Thursday, April 28, 2016

Colorful Cape May: Victorian Bird House


Admittedly one usually visits a beach resort for sun and sand more than history and Victorian architecture, but delightful Cape May NJ offers the best of both worlds.
 In fact some of my favorite times to visit are "off season"; and while a dip in the ocean might not be a possibility during these cooler months, the country's first "beach town" still offers plenty to see and do. 
A recent quick girl's Spring getaway found us enjoying a painting workshop at historic Congress hall, sampling fabulous seafood at the many restaurants and browsing for treasures at the countless colorful boutiques and antique shops.
   
photos: CPaul2016 starting top left, sweet treats, Spring at the Virginia hotel, Exit Zero newspaper office, Mad Batter restaurant and Carroll Villa Hotel, historic Congress Hall lobby and entrance, colorful shops, The blue Pig tavern, the famous Pink House, Angel of the sea B&B

The famous Pink house now sells estate jewelry
Naturally we arrived home inspired by Cape May's charm. 
Among the most distinctive features of this delightful town are the
"painted ladies". These whimsically adorned buildings, many historic, boast intricate "gingerbread" woodwork and often brilliant combinations of cheery candy colors, distinctive to the era. So with hints of Spring in the air, I thought I'd fashion my own painted lady in honor of my feathered friends here at home.

Victorian Inspired Birdhouse
 I used
a wooden birdhouse 
Most craft stores carry very inexpensive unfinished versions-
 or maybe redo a thrift find or birdhouse you already have that needs a facelift
colorful acrylic and craft paints
dimensional puffy paints
My birdhouse is for indoor decor so I'm not sure how it would hold up outside, but outdoor friendly paint is best if it will be in the elements
lace or trim
shells and sand 
spray varnish
I mix and matched pastel acrylics and chalky finish colors 
playful - not too perfect patterns add whimsy
Spray painting trim adds a smooth finish and makes it sturdier and easier to be added as "gingerbread woodwork" detail.
 I trimmed it to size and accented with contrasting colors and dimensional dots of paint.
a playful cat and simple bike add character
Shells and sand give a nod to the beach setting

To Happy Summer Days ahead
Thanks for Visiting!

18 comments:

  1. You're truly so very talented, my wonderful friend, you always leave me in awe Christina !

    Hope you're having a wonderful day, I'm sending blessings of joy on your weekend ahead,
    with my dearest love

    Dany

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    1. Thank you so much Dany!
      How sweet of you! So glad you enjoyed the little project! It was lots of fun to make :)
      All the best
      Christina

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  2. Thanks so much for sharing your trip to Cape May! It has been 20 years since I went to Cape May after taking a day trip there every Summer while vacationing in WildWood. I truly enjoyed seeing all the beautiful Painted Ladies! I fashioned my own Victorian Doll House after Cape May's Painted Ladies. I love your beautiful Victorian Birdhouse! So pretty!! Thanks again for sharing!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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    1. Thanks Debbie!
      Cape May is such a delightful place to visit!
      Your victorian dollhouse sounds fabulous! Would love to see photos-We just love dollhouses in our family -My mother is redoing a secondhand dollhouse she found- it's a lot of workout such fun- I still have one on my to-do someday list :)

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  3. There are painted ladies at The Beaches area of Toronto that I visited and photographed once - aren't they amazing? I like how you crafted a birdhouse in this architectural design, very pretty.

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    1. Thanks so much!
      Oh Toronto is beautiful but haven't been there in years- I think San Francisco has painted ladies too. It was a fun theme to work with- We'll have to see if the birds like it :)

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  4. How beautiful! Cape May sounds awesome, wish I could go one day.
    Thanks for your kind visit.
    Hugs,
    FABBY

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    1. Thanks so much Fabby!
      It's a fun place to visit almost any time of year if you're ever in the area :)

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  5. What beauty in your blog! The bird house is so sweet and charming - and of course, does need a cat! I love the way you made it a mixed media project with the lace trim. Just so pretty!

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    1. Thanks so much!
      I really wanted to included some gingerbready "architecture" details and had some lace lying around lol
      I'm a big cat fan so I seem to include them in everything :)
      Cheers!

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  6. I love what you did to the birdhouse! How sweet. :)

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    1. Thanks so much!
      This was really lots of fun :)

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  7. Sweet. I love Cape May. It's so pretty in the summer with the beautiful hydrangeas in bloom. It was so hot when we were there about 5 years ago. Best wishes and thanks for sharing that sweet birdhouse. Beautifully done. Linda @Crafts a la mode

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    1. Thanks so much Linda!
      Sorry I missed you comment-Yes, it can get pretty hot in there in the summer! I was actually glad to visit in the Spring this year to beat the heat and tourists lol :)

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  8. Christina Paul:
    Best wishes and success on your book. I really enjoyed this post - so cute!

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