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Fowl play: DIY chicken skittles

03 Sep 2024

Looking for a fun and colourful project to keep the kids entertained on a rainy day? This DIY chicken skittles game is the perfect way to brighten up a gloomy afternoon! With just a few simple materials and a splash of vibrant Resene colours, you can create a lively set of chicken-shaped skittles that are as fun to make as they are to play with.

You will need:


Step 1: Start by drawing out a chicken shape on to a piece of paper. Cut this out with scissors and trace around it six times on to your pine board. Cut the chicken shapes out with a jig or band saw. Sand any rough edges smooth. Sand a small piece of scrap wood into a beak shape and use wood glue to glue this in place. Prime using Resene Quick Dry.


Step 2: Paint the bodies of the chickens with two coats of your chosen paint colours. Fleur used Resene Rebel, Resene Avant Garde, Resene Half New Denim Blue, Resene Elephant, Resene Gordons Green and Resene Rusty Nail.


Step 3: Cut out a piece of anaglypta wallpaper the same size as your chicken’s body – Fleur used Resene Wallpaper Collection RD314. Glue this to a piece of wood. This will be your stamp.


Step 4: Paint over the wallpaper stamp with a contrasting colour to the chicken’s body, and working quickly before the paint dries, flip the stamp over and push it down on to the chicken’s body. Carefully remove the stamp being careful not to smudge the paint. Repeat this for the front and back of each chicken.


Step 5: Paint the face of the chickens using more of your favourite shades. Fleur used Resene Hot Chile for the head, Resene Pirate Gold for the beak and Resene Black and Resene Rice Cake for the eyes.


Step 6: If you want to play this game on carpet, or if your chickens are a bit wobbly standing on the thin edge of the pine board, add a couple of feet to the front and one at the back for increased stability. Finish your chickens with two coats of Resene Aquaclear Satin. 

Wall painted in Resene Eighth Sisal and skirting boards in Resene Half Rice Cake.

project and images Fleur Thorpe

Published: 03 Sep 2024