The Maui Stamper

If you’ve followed me for any time at all, you likely have guessed that I love birds. Their songs wake me in the morning and draw me outside during the day.   In the middle of a walk or hike I’ve been known to stop in order to peer into the trees at the sound of a new voice.  It  shouldn’t be a terrible surprise to learn that I’ve been playing around with the idea of a bird house:

This is my first attempt but I can assure you it’s not my last – I have a lot of ideas in my head!  I wanted to see what worked in terms of construction techniques and proportions.  I’m not sure I would make another bird house this large, but then again, I surprise myself sometimes 🙂

I used both the Woodgrain Background stamp and the Wood grain TIEF to create, well, wood grain (um, I think that’s a giant DUH.)  I used the stamp on the walls of the house, but for the roof I wanted more texture.  The Texture Boutique Embossing Machine made short work of adding wood grain texture to my card stock.  (I’m sorry to say that this product was available for a limited time, and will not be available again until June 1.)  A little sponging helps that texture stand out even more, and also adds dimension to corners and openings.

I added a few of the tiniest butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit to the front, and rolled up a sliver of card stock to create a perch at the front door.  (The photo above is just crooked enough to make me a little dizzy!)

I was going for a “climbing vine” look on this side, and if you are an imaginative sort of person perhaps that’s the look you’ll see.

There will be more bird houses!  I’ve got a lot of ideas and a few adjustments to try.  I would LOVE your constructive feedback and suggestions, so comment away!