I took a 2-day staycation a few months ago and finally got started on a couple of birdhouse projects I’d been planning to make as gifts for my Aunt and Grandmother. Both ladies love it when birds visit their gardens. I bought the unfinished wood birdhouses at Joann and used just a few simple supplies to turn them into bold, colorful garden pieces. The Paper Crafter’s Color Companion always comes in handy for me when I need to come up with a color scheme. If any birdhouses can bring a bit of cheeriness to a couple of gardens in cold England, then these can!
Easy Birdhouses Project
MATERIALS:
- 2 unfinished birdhouses in various shapes
- Paper Crafter’s Color Companion
- Liquitex Soft Body Artists Colors in a variety of colors, according to your chosen color scheme
- 1 sheet of 300 grit sand paper
- 1 sheet of 1500 grit sand paper
- a few Quilter’s Freezer Paper sheets, for lining your workspace and drying area (optional)
- paint brushes
- paint pallet or mixing tray
- PLAID FolkArt Outdoor Gloss Sealer
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Choose color scheme with the Paper Crafter’s Color Companion.
- Sand all surfaces and edges of birdhouse with 300 grit sand paper until smooth
- Dust off with a cloth
- Mix paint to achieve desired colors
- Paint surfaces of birdhouse, one color at a time, and leave out to dry on Freezer Paper Sheets (so the paint doesn’t stick to anything)
- Once dry, sand painted surfaces with 1500 grit sand sand paper
- add an additional coat of paint, and once dry, sand until smooth with 1500 grit sand paper
- Dust off with a cloth
- Apply first coat of PLAID Outdoor Gloss Sealer and let dry for 30 minutes
- Apply final coat of gloss sealer and wait a few hours for it to dry completely
- Pack birdhouse into box and ship it off to the English countryside where your Gran will happily receive it
- Hope your chosen colors aren’t too bright in that they scare the birds away
Check out Danielle Dews’ blog at DanielleDews.com
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3 Comments
Hey Danielle – these are so fun! Great color choices.
They are so attractive. What a great gift.
Thanks Lynn and Sandy! I am working on one more for my mom—she saw these two and got jealous :) These projects are a nice break from my usual paper and fabric projects!
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[...] Birdhouse Crafting: They Make Great Gifts UPDATE: The Supplies List and Step-by-Step instructions for the birdhouse projects are now posted on the C&T Publishing Blog! Check it out. [...]