Birdhouse Tutorial

This is my very first post ever!  I'm sorry I didn't take as many pictures as I should have.  I also apologize for the quality of the pictures...I'm not professional :).

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard
• White Wire Hangers
• Floral Wire
• Hot Glue & Glue Gun
• Round Drawer Knob
• Pearl Beads
• Variety of Flowers
• Ribbon
• "Once Upon A Springtime" Paper from Graphic 45
• Pencil
• Exacto Knife/Box Cutter
• Compass
• Pliers
• 1/8" Hole Punch (or a Crop-a-dile by We R Memory Keepers works great!)
• Glue (I used Tacky)
• Mod Podge

Cut off the tops off of seven hangers. I cut just after the bend in the top.  Then straighten the hanger out.  Fold the hanger in half.  1-2 inches down from the fold, bend the hanger at a 90 degree angle, then make a curve.  It helps to draw the shape on paper to get everyone of them the same.  Do this to all seven hangers.  Then cut at the fold with pliers.  You should have 14 lovely pieces of hanger.  I apologize that I don't have pictures of this part!

Using the compass, create a circle that is 9" in diameter on a piece of scrap cardstock.  Punch 14 holes all the way around.  This is your pattern.  Trace onto cardboard.  Cut 2.  Only punch holes in one piece.  Glue a piece of patterned paper two one side of each piece of cardboard.  I like to smash the paper down with a phone book to make sure there aren't any wrinkles.  Trim paper off and re-punch holes.  Put a layer of mod podge on the paper.  Let dry.

Next is the tricky part!  Put the hanger pieces through the pattern piece first, and then the cardboard with holes.  (Put the paper side up).  Repeat with all 14 pieces.  They will be wobbly, but don't worry...it works out.  In this picture, the tops aren't bent back 90 degrees...that's because I figure that out through trial and error. :)

Slide the cardboard piece up to just below the curve in the hangers.  Get your glue guns ready!  Start by gluing two hangers together that are across from eachother.  Next, glue perpendicular ones to the center.  After gluing a couple, wrap wire around to hold them in place.  Keep doing this until they are all connected.

  Slide the cardboard piece down.  This is what it should look like when you are finished!  Carefully tear away the circle pattern and discard.  Cut the tops off of a2 hangers and straighten them out.  Bend them in a circular shape to fit around birdhouse.  One goes below the curve, and the other goes an inch from the bottom.  Use hot glue to help hold in place.  Secure with floral wire by wrapping in an "x" shape around each wire.  Glue the cardboard to the hangers through the holes.  Then glue the other piece of cardboard to the bottom of that.

Glue drawer knob to top.  I used a wood on and a fancy metal one, so I drilled a hole in the wood piece for the metal one to fit through the top.

Cut shapes out of paper an glue inside.  I also made curly papers to put on the floor.  I also made a "door" out of the other hangers.  I cut a section out of one of the vertical wires.  Then I glued a two pieces for the top and bottom of the "entryway." I made a door by gluing hanger together and securing edges with wire and glue.

Here is a good view of the door.  I glued beads to the ends to make it look more finished.  I also glued ribbon around the top horizontal wire, as well as along the bottom to hide the cardboard.  Add flowers and other embellishments.  This is how mine turned out.