I painted the large birdhouse as well as one of the box style houses with Folk Art Chalk Paint from Joanns in a pale yellow color that’s been discontinued, but is very similar to Summer Porch (link: https://tinyurl.com/ya4jneh6 )

I bought a set of wall stickers from the Dollar Tree link: https://tinyurl.com/vtwm624 and cut the flowers and vases apart so they would fit in the spaces provided on each of the six sides of the birdhouse. Some of the birds were a little long, so I cut a portion off of their tale to make them fit. After I finished laying stickers on the birdhouse, I added Mod Podge Outdoor (Link: https://tinyurl.com/sl76ewz ) that needs to sit for 28 days before you can put it outside. Before it goes outside, you need to add a clear acrylic sealer to remove the stickiness. I did a little bit of research, and believe I’m going to give Aleene’s Acrylic Sealer (link: https://tinyurl.com/yd6rht8p) a try. If you don’t use the acrylic sealer, the outside will be too sticky, and your bird’s feet might stick to the birdhouse and we don’t want that to happen.

The second birdhouse, I painted with a turquoise acrylic paint that was too dark, so dry brushed white acrylic paint over the turquoise. Once it was dry, I took a striped blue and white napkin from the Dollar Tree…using a piece of washi tape and placing it on the back corner of the napkin, pull gently, and it should take the back paper off. You have to remove the second layer of the napkin or they will separate on your project, and you don’t want that. Once it’s removed from the back layer, take a foam brush and put a layer of Outdoor Mod Podge on the bottom of the bird house, then lay the napkin on it centering it so the napkin sides hang over the edges about the same distance and the edge of the napkin at the front (bottom edge) of the birdhouse and working toward the back, lay the napkin trying not to get many wrinkles. Once the napkin is where you want it, put Mod Podge on the back of the house and continue the napkin onto the back, then go to the top, add Mod Podge. You’ll need to make sure you account for the twine, so wrap the napkin onto the top and when you get close to the twine, figure out where you’d need to poke a hole, and then feed the napkin through the twine and finish laying the napkin on the top. You shouldn’t rip out any of the napkin where you’ve poked holes, as you can use the excess napkin left to wrap around the twine. Continue Mod Podging and wrapping the napkin to the front of the house, and lay the napkin over the hole, then continue down the front….when you get close to the perch make a hole in the napkin to push the perch through and then push the excess napkin around the perch. You can make an “X” on the hole with an Xacto (craft) knife and push the napkin into the hole. There won’t be enough napkin to surround the inside of the hole, so cut a piece of napkin the depth of the hole and about 2″ long and glue this piece into the hole with Mod Podge. Cut off any napkin that hangs over the bottom.. Now for the sides of the house, you can cut the top and bottom excess napkin off, and wrap the sides into the center and Mod Podge it there.

Once you’ve finished wrapping the napkin, Mod Podge the whole thing. You’ll want at least three coats of Mod Podge (let them dry completely between coats…I wait overnight between coats.) Don’t forget to let it sit for a month before adding clear acrylic sealer, then they’re ready to use….

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