Nature's Birdhouse

It's April and time for another Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop!  Be sure to follow the link on the right to see all the springtime projects posted by this talented group of designers!

An unfinished birdhouse has been nestled amongst the plants on my screened porch for a couple of years.  I’ve been pondering how I wanted to decorate it.  While cleaning my studio I discovered my stash of tiny pine cones and birch bark – and my decision was made!

The great thing about real birch bark is that it peels resulting in several, paper thin layers of bark.  Just one small strip was enough to cover almost this entire birdhouse.  Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue was the perfect adhesive to hold my birch bark in place.  I left the edges around the hole to the birdhouse rough, as I love the added rustic effect. 

Elmer's Craft Bond Tacky Glue would also work to hold the tiny pine cones in place, but I opted for the faster drying option of a hot glue gun.  Simply layer your pine cones and glue in place until the entire roof is covered.  Can’t find tiny pine cones?  Use full size pine cones and simply remove the individual pieces and use them as shingles for your roof.    If you don’t have an unfinished birdhouse, but have another you’ve had around a while that needs a bit of sprucing up, just cover it the same way and it will look like a whole new piece! 

Note – This birdhouse is meant for decorative purposes only. Perfect for a summer porch – I encourage you to add some functional birdhouses to yard no matter how big or small it may be – watching nesting birds is truly one of nature’s wonders!