Don't throw out your milk cartons! Just give them a good wash, and they'll be ready to recycle into houses. I used the small cartons on this trio, taking my inspiration from the colorful Victorian houses found in San Francisco, California.
I started by cutting 1/2" strips of white cardstock, and used a stiffer brush to apply a coat of clear gesso. Once dry, I colored them with Distress Crayons (Peacock Feathers, Chipped Sapphire, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Shaded Lilac, and Wilted Violet), smudged them with my fingers, and added (Black Soot) around the edges. After cutting out the doors, I layered and glued them around the carton like siding on a house. The windows were stamped and embossed with Emerald Creek Boho Blends (Wrought Iron) Embossing Powder. Then I colored them with the same Distress Crayons using a brush and water for a softer effect.
I used my leftover scraps from the siding, to make the bottom halves of the doors, by cutting the width of the 1/2" strips in half, and piecing them back together. Small brads were used for the knobs, and the doors framed with pieces from a cereal box. The framing, window sills, (cut with the Cricut Expression using the George and Basic Shapes cartridge), and scallop stamping along the eaves, were embossed with Ranger Mixed Media Powder (Bone).
