The Love Shack

The Love Shack
(created by Sophia Vida)

This little bird house is anything but a shack. It’s a great Valentine’s Day craft that’s super easy and fun to make! 

For this project you will need:

– 8-1/2″ Plain Wood Bird House
– Vintage Printed Papers by Graphic 45 – Le Romantique Collection
– 3″ Small Bird
– Medium Butterfly Punch by Martha Stewart

– Medium Heart Punch by Martha Stewart  

– 12-16 Small Ivory Colored Pearls
– 4 Large Ivory Colored Pearls
– 6 Small Satin Peach Colored Roses
– 1 Large Heart Shaped Button (any color will do)
– Small Piece of Ivory Satin Ribbon for your Heart Button
– Matte Mod Podge
– Acrylic Paints: White, Antique White, Flesh, Magenta
– Jim Holtz Distress Ink – Tea Dye
– White Glitter
– Aleenes Tacky Glue
– Small Make Up Applicator
– 1/2″ Paint Brush
– Small Foam Brush
– Small Amount of Wood Excelsior or Spanish Moss
– Glue Gun
– 2 Plastic Coated Paper Plates (1 will be used a painting palette, the other will be used for the glitter)
– Paper Towels
– Container with clean water to rinse the brushes
– Fine Grit Sandpaper
– Scotch Tape

1.  Pick the patterned paper for the roof and cut out the images from the vintage paper for the bird house. Set aside.
2. Punch 6-8 hearts. Set aside.
3. Punch 6-8 butterflies. Fold the butterfly wings at the body on each side. Glue 2 small pearls to the body of each butterfly. Set aside.
4. Using the fine grit sandpaper, lightly sand any rough spots or jagged edges on your bird house. Wipe off any dust with a paper towel.
5. Using the 1/2″ brush base coat your bird house in white paint. Let dry. Apply a second coat. Let dry. Make sure to rinse your brush in between coats so the paint won’t dry on your brush.
6. Using the 1/2″ brush, paint the sides of the bird house with Antique White. Rinse your brush. Let dry.
7. Mix equals parts of the Flesh paint with the Magenta paint. Using the 1/2″ brush, paint the base of the bird house. Next paint the inside of the hole for the bird house. Last paint the front and back of your heart button. Let dry. Make sure to rinse your brush.
8. Using the second paper plate, mix a small amount of Aleenes Tacky glue with a little water. Cover the front of your heart button with glue and sprinkle with white glitter. Let dry.
9. Measure the paper for each roof panel and cut to size. Turn over the paper and add a few pieces of tape to the underside top seam. Then turn it back over and test your sizing on the roof. It should fully cover the roof but not hang over the edge.
10. Using the make up applicator, dab it into the distress ink and begin distressing the bird house. Make the corners and underlying roof edges a little darker than the rest. Let dry.
11. Using your small foam brush, dip it into the Matte Mod Podge and use it as a glue to adhere your roof panels to the bird house. Continue by gluing your images to all 4 sides of  the bird house. Glue your punched heart and butterflies to any open spaces. Note: you will only be gluing the butterfly body to the bird house so the wings will stand up. Let dry.
    
12. Using the make up applicator, dab it into the distress ink and begin distressing the roof panels, images, hearts and butterflies you just glued to the bird house in step 10. Let dry.
    
13. Using your glue gun adhere the excelsior to the bottom edges of the bird house and add a little to the hole in the front. Next glue the satin roses to the edge of the roof on the front of the house and glue the large ivory pearls in between the satin roses. Then glue your bird on the perch.
    
14. Run the ivory satin ribbon through the holes on the heart button and tie it off. Trim off any excess. Using your glue gun, adhere the heart button to the front highest point on the roof. Voila you have a beautiful and romantic Valentine decoration!

Thanks for looking and have lots of fun making The Love Shack Valentine Decoration!

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