making-gourd-birdhouses-project, miycreations, miy

Miycreations Project article and photographs
by Madeleine M Langlois, MaddyLane Designs

Making Gourd-geous birdhouses: This is a wonderful project to with
the kids on weekend, at the cottage, on vacation or summer camp!

Hands-on time: Less than 2 hours.
Total time: Add drying time for paint and varnish.
Skill: Moderate.
Cost estimate: Depends on the type and size of gourds (approximately $5
per gourd and $5 for materials to finish the gourd, excluding cost of the tools).

Materials & tools:
• Hard-shell dried gourd (available at country markets and farms)
• Water
• Sanding block or sand paper
• Compass, or circle template
• Pencil
• Small hand saw or mini jigsaw
• Drill with a small drill bit, and sanding bit
• Acrylic paint, stain
• A paintbrush or a lint-free cloth
• Clear or matt Minwax Polycrylics waterbased varnish topcoat
• Carpenter's glue (Wood glue by LePage)
• Small branch or twig (for the perch)
• Small eye hooks with screw ends
• Hemp or leather rope
• Decorative beads (optional)

(Materials for this project are available at arts, crafts and the above-
mentioned stores.)

Want birds in your backyard? Then why not make them a gourd-geous
birdhouse? Working with hard-shell gourds is an ancient art that is becoming
increasingly popular as a contemporary art form. Since gourds come in many
different shapes and sizes, they can be used to make numerous decorative
artifacts. Unlike the small, thin-skinned decorative gourds, hard-shell ones -
once dried - harden and last forever. This is a perfect project to do with the
kids. Half the fun is the trip to the country market to find that perfect gourd.

Since hard-shell gourds come in many creative shapes, they make perfect
birdhouses. Gourds can be shaped, carved, cut and pyro-engraved (also
known as wood-burning). They can be finished with exterior acrylic paints,
gourd dyes, gilder's paste or glazes. Although you can purchase pre-cleaned,
ready-to-use gourds, you will usually find ones with a dark, greenish mould on
them. To remove it, soak the gourd in water for 15 minutes and scrub it with a
cleaner brush (a mushroom brush works well). Then wipe it and let it dry.
Once dry, lightly sand off the rough spots and wipe with a clean cloth.

Begin by cutting out the birdhouse entryway. The size of the hole depends on
the type of bird you want to attract; for smaller birds, make the holes 2.5 to
3.5 centimetres in diameter. For larger birds, such as bluebirds and
woodpeckers, the holes should be 4.5 to 5.5 centimetres in diameter. Use a
compass or circle shape template to draw a hole on the gourd. Then, with a
small drill and bit, make a series of holes inside the circle shape. Use a small
hand jigsaw or craft drill with a cutting wheel to cut along the circle, then knock
out the centre part. This creates an opening for the bird to enter through. Use
a sanding bit along the opening to smooth the circle's edge. Drill a hole for a
perch 2.5 centimetres below the opening. Then drill three to five drainage
holes at the bottom of the gourd. To empty the gourd of its seeds and dried
stuffing, loosen it from the inside with a hook or fork. Shake the gourd and
most of the stuffing will come out.

Many types of finishes can be used to decorate your project. I simply used
outdoor acrylic craft paints. Bright colours attract birds, so I painted a modern
sunflower on a round canteen-type gourd. I also painted a long Maranka
gourd in red. Then, using black paint, I added the Asian symbols for the five
nature elements: water, wood, earth, fire and metal.

To seal the gourd, apply two to tree coats of Minwax Polycrylics waterbased
varnish topcoat, letting it dry between each coat. Glue a small stick into the
hole below the opening for the perch. Place eye hooks on the top of the
gourd and attach a string or piece of leather. Add decorative beads to the
string if desired and hang it in your favourite place in the garden. Have
gourds of fun with this project.

Tips
• To ensure the gourd has dried properly, shake it to hear if the seeds rattle
and make sure it has a hard stem and dark mould on it. Why not try growing
your own gourds this summer? Visit the Canadian Gourd Society for more
information on types of gourds, seeds, tools, finishes, gourd festivals and
gourd links.

Variations
• This is a great project to do with the kids. Instead of painting the gourd, they
can use rubber stamps or markers to decorate it. You can also leave the
gourd in its natural state, but use a water sealer to protect the shell.

MIY Garden project to do with the kids
C r e a t i o n s & I n s p i r a t i o n s
"f o r t h e p u r e j o y o f m a k i n g t h i n g s"

For an uplifting
twist, tie the
ends of two
pussy willow
twigs together
with rope and
place across
the top of the
vases.