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DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox

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DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox

I’ve been gazing at snow scenes under glass in amazement for the last two Christmas seasons. The tiny snowmen, red trucks, and flocked pine trees make me want to go inside each winter wonderland and have a look around. This year, I decided to invent one of my own. When I saw a $5 cedar bird feeder with removeable glass panels, I knew it would be perfect for creating a DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox. I’ve never been able to use a bird feeder or bird bath for their intended purposes because I have a gorgeous cat that likes to assasinate birds every once in a while. I don’t want to lure a majestic winter cardinal into my yard only to find it dead later. The skill level on this DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox is easy enough for anyone to achieve.

Materials for DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox:

  • cedar bird feeder with removeable glass panels- I bought mine at Walmart for a mere $5.47. Get yours here: Pennington Cedar Classic Dinette. Amazon also sells a cute Pennington Bin Bird Feeder that looks like an outhouse. That might be an idea for the future (pictured below, with a link).
  • paints- Apple Barrel 662E Sterling Silver. 20432E Nutmeg, 20404E Black, 21390 Khaki, 2605E Crimson, 20411E Cobalt Hue, 21481E Key West, Folk Art 2480E Royal Gold Metallic
  • DecoArt Crystal Craft Twinkles
  • DecoArt Dimensional Effects Paintable Texture Paste
  • brushes- 1/2″ angle
  • super glue or Aleene’s Tacky Glue
  • small candy cane ornaments
  • North Star tiny ornament
  • tiny styrofoam balls
  • Elmer’s School Glue

Painting Instructions for DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox

My new to me Mikasa Nativity set
Snowy Cabin Trucker Jacket
Snowy Cabin Trucker Jacket

As I have mentioned before, I like to use real life examples or photographs of the real thing when I paint. I do use free printable coloring sheets for painting patterns sometimes to save time, and at other times I draw my own. In general, I want my work to be my own rather than someone else’s idea or interpretation. For inspiration, I had a magnificient Mikasa nativity set that I found at Goodwill last week, a bird feeder, a log from my woodpile, a Snowy Cabin Trucker Jacket that I painted last month, and a photograph of a rusty tin ceiling tile. I also thought about the following verse when creating my scene. I wanted it to be a serene picture of solitude and peace.

11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:11 NASB

Let’s Get Started!

Paint the roof Sterling Silver. I used a 1/2″ angle brush for this entire project. Brush a few Cobalt Hue streaks in the middle.
Paint the feeder with a mixture of Nutmeg, Black, and Khaki.
Cover the stoop with Crimson.
Add Key West streaks to the roof.
Swish on a few Crimson and Royal Gold streaks.

Adding Snow to Your DIY Holy Night Shadowbox Diorama

Add Dimensional Effects to the roof and stoop, then paint with White and add sparkles with Crystal Craft Twinkles. You can paint and embellish the Dimensional Effects paste while it is still wet. I love this stuff!
Remove the panels and attach the tree with super glue. Spread Elmer’s School Glue in the bottom. Make sure you aren’t spreading glue into the tracks where the panels slide into the feeder. Add tiny styrofoam balls. These things are messy and they stick to everything, even without glue.
Add the North Star to the left side of the back panel with super glue. You only get one shot at this manuever. That is why my husband did the super glue parts. I get too impatient and annoyed. Aleene’s Tacky Glue would have been more pleasing to me, but I didn’t have any.
Super Glue a candy cane to each side of the stoop on the front and back.
Use super glue to attach a simple peppermint-striped bow. Finish things up with a tiny silver jingle bell in the center of the bow.
DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox
You’re all done! Let’s figure out how to display this beauty.
I tried using LED Lights. Yuck. It looks like a chicken coop.
Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox
A red light was too tacky for such a sacred night.
DIy Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox
I loved the DIY Holy Night Shadowbox in front of the snow village, and with a white light.
DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox
The shadowbox looked nice on the side porch, next to my blooming Christmas cactus.
DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder Shadowbox
I liked it best on the bird bench next to a cardinal pillow, but I will probably keep it inside most of the time.

Wasn’t that easy? I hope you enjoyed my DIY Holy Night Bird Feeder tutorial!

Merry Christmas,

Kristie

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Comments

  2. Marie B. says

    Absolutely love this and what a great idea for outdoor decor! I would love to decorate one of our trees with hanging bird feeder lighted Christmas miniatures.

    Reply

  5. Our Hopeful Home says

    DIY Christmas snow globes are a passion of mine and I love yours! How great to have found this at the thrift store and KNOW right away what you could use it for? I love it when that happens! I laughed at the chicken coop comment:) Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen

    Reply

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