Mark your calendars for April 2nd, 2017 - National (ahem, INTERnational) DIY Day!

I and several other crafty-amazing bloggers have partnered with Craft Box Girls to bring you some of the best DIY and craft projects on the internet.

To start off the festivities and help you get your "Spring on", I thought I'd share this easy birdhouse display for your front porch.

Birdhouse Display

Supplies

• 3 birdhouses - purchased or DIY'd
• scrapbook paper in Spring patterns
• Mod Podge
• small paintbrush
• large paintbrush
• scissors
• finishing nails and hammer
• sandpaper
• scrap wood (cut list below)
• 2 1/2" and 3" wood screws
• drill
• wood glue
• paint or stain of your choice
• outdoor varnish or other protective coating

There are a million-and-one birdhouse plans available online, so building your own won't take more than a few pieces of scrap plywood and a few cuts but - if you'd rather shortcut this step - both dollar stores and craft stores are chock full of unfinished birdhouses this time of the year.

I chose to build three whimsical houses with angled-in bottoms for my birdhouse decor.

Step 1

Carefully remove the roof pieces (or don't attach them if building from scratch) from your birdhouses.

Step 2

Select out three patterned sheets of scrapbook paper to decorate your houses with.

Step 3

Trace your birdhouse front and back onto the back of your scrapbook paper and cut the image out with about a 1/2" excess on the top and sides.

Step 4

Coat the front of your birdhouse with Mod Podge and carefully attach your scrapbook paper, folding over the excess onto the roof line and sides.  Don't worry that you are covering the opening - we will cut this out in a later step.  Smooth out to remove any air bubbles and to ensure a nice, tight adhesion.

Step 5

Cut out two more pieces of scrapbook paper to the exact size of the side of your birdhouse/s.  Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the wood and smooth into place.

Step 6

Using an exacto knife or sharp scissors, cut an 'X' through the centre of your birdhouse openings, then cut additional slits to that the paper will fold into the openings smoothly.  Apply some Mod Podge to the inside of the opening and smooth the paper into place.

Step 7

Re-attach your birdhouse roof using a bit of wood glue and finishing nails.

Step 8

Coat your birdhouses with an outdoor-appropriate varnish or clear polyurethane to protect the paper and wood from the elements.

Step 9 - the birdhouse display stand

I made my stand from scrap pieces of 1"x6" wood.  Cut list as follows:

I glued and screwed my two 20" boards together to give my stand some strength and stability.

1. The 14" piece was determined as the minimum necessary to hold all three of my birdhouses, so this piece will vary in size based on your birdhouse sizes and numbers.
2. The 16" board was cut at a 45 ° angle on either end for a more decorative look.
3. The 4 ¾" square was cut from corner to corner (again, a 45°  angle) to give me two base stabilizers.

Step 10

Centre your 20" boards (now one piece) on your 16" base.  Glue in place and drill up from the bottom into the stand section using two, 3" wood screws.

Step 11

Centre your 14" board on the top of the stand section and glue and screw into place.

Step 12

Glue your base stabilizers in place and reinforce with finishing nails.

Step 13

Sand smooth and finish with the paint or stain of your choice.

Step 14

To attach the birdhouses to your scrap wood display stand, simply drill up from the bottom of the 14" piece of wood into the base of the houses.  This birdhouse display is for decor purposes only, but if you are concerned that birds might actually move into your condos, select screws that won't poke through the base of the birdhouses themselves.

Step 15

Set your new Spring porch decor on your front porch and decorate with flowers, burlap, raffia or potted plants.

Have a great one!

-Shelly

National DIY DAY Ambassador| 100Things2Do

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About Shelly

London, ON

100Things2Do.ca started as a challenge to myself.  I was home with my two young girls and needed to come up with a way to entertain them and keep myself sane in the process.  The blog began with the "100Things2Do This Summer" checklist and has evolved to include refinishing, repurposing, building and crafting as well. It is A Home & Lifestyle blog featuring crafts, DIY, organization and family fun

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