Logoname

Birdhouse A       Birdhouse B       Birdhouse C

This is an original design I came up with way back when I collected fresh dinosaur eggs.

You will need two eggshells, one for the house itself and the other for the roof. Use the bigger egg for the roof to give a little overhang, cut egg in half the long way around.Do this jaggedly so shingles look rustic?Cut a circle into the side of the house egg big enough for a bird to go inside and a small hole just below for the perch to attach.

Glue the perch into the hole, I used a bamboo skewer and stuck it clear to the back wall for stability.What sticks out the front needs to be long enough to hold the bird comfortably? Be sure it is straight in all directions.

Acrylic paints are the easiest to use on eggshells, they dry very quickly. Paint the inside of the house and the underside of the roof a dark brown. Sponge paint the outside of the house any colors you want, I used white splattering over blue just because.

Now let's shingle the roof.Modeling paste thickly put on with an old frazzled out flat brush works great.Each shingle is a brush load but vary the width just like a real shingled roof.Start at the bottom edge, be sure to overlap and don't line up your seams so it will look natural.Paste will take at least 24 hours to dry so set it in a safe place while you paint the leaves.

Lightly pencil in some leaves onto the house egg. Use green shades of acrylic to paint and shade these leaves,lots of water makes it thinner and more natural looking. By now the modeling paste should be dry and hard.

Use brown to antique and show up your fine shingling job.Slop the paint on and wipe all the extra back off with a damp paper towel to antique it. Let it dry.

Spray a couple coats of sealer inside and underside of roof plus all the parts that can be touched. Sealer makes it easier to damp wipe a dusty house.

Stuff straw, dried grass or moss inside the house for a nest. Add a few tiny eggs.

Glue the roof onto the house next, be sure to have the overhang go to the front and leave enough room to clear the birds head as she sits on the perch.

Tie the cord onto an up-eye before gluing that onto the roof. Test to see where to let the glue dry so it will all hang evenly. Let it all dry before hanging it.