A copy cat bird house

I have always liked "MacKenzie-Childs" things.  While looking through the catalog the other day I saw these really cute bird houses.  Whimsical and fun!  The only problem is the bird house in the catalog costs $200.  Since this is a little more than I normally spend on a bird house, I had an idea to make my own.

I found a $6.00 wooden bird house at Hobby Lobby.  I started with three coats of white paint for the base and then using a ruler I figured out my black and white squares evenly the whole way around.  After that I added color, and to top it off, I hung a crystal on the bottom of the bird house for some bling!

 

And this is how mine turned out.  It's not exactly like the MacKenzie-Childs bird houses, but close enough for me! 

 

My copy cat bird house.

 

  

Strawberry pot and a sign

I found this bright orange strawberry pot at Yoder's Hardware store last week and just had to have it!    

After filling it with strawberries from our strawberry patch in the back of the garden I decided to put it outside the kitchen where I can see it and where it will be close to pick berries for our morning cereal.  

  ~ Then I had this idea....

why not have a bright orange welcome sign as well?  

So I painted the sign and hung it on the garden gate.  The orange goes nicely with the blue and terra cotta pots and other accessories I have in the garden.    

Have a good weekend!

The mourning dove returns

Yes, she did!  She returned to the ivy hanging plant on the back porch outside the kitchen window.  She's been building her nest the past few days.    

Now we can watch her everyday until the baby dove arrive.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today I am repainting an old bird house that has been outside and is in need of some repair.  A few coats of paint should improve it, and I've decided to paint it all white.   

Have a good day!  

Painting a mail box

Our black mail box hanging on the front door in the full sun for many years had faded to a gray.  It was definitely time for some paint (or a new mail box). I opted for the paint.  

  I always seem to have a selection of spray paint on hand, doesn't everybody?   

This was my inspiration (below).  I found it in one of my English Home magazines.  What caught my eye was the fact that the colors were almost the same as our house.  

Here is our front door with the newly painted mail box.  An easy project, and it didn't cost a penny!  

  

The Fair

It's fair season!

The time of year when county and state fairs are held all across America ~ thoughts of candy apples, fried food, bountiful produce, livestock, garden mums, ferris wheels and other rides. So when hubby brought a marble roller in from the woodshop that he just made and was ready for paint, I thought carnival ~ all the fun rides and bright colors of the fair!

He is planning on entering this one in the NC State Fair. As you can see, it is still in the works, the base had to be painted before the top rails went on and a whirly wheel will be attached to the side, but it will soon be finished.



Our State Fair runs from October 13-23. Do you enjoy going to your local fair? To me it's a part of the season, and fall just wouldn't be the same without it.

Pink Cottage Rose

For a few weeks now I have been having painter's block, you know, where you just can't bring yourself to pick up a paint brush and put some paint on canvas. As I was having my coffee the other morning and reading through some magazines, all of a sudden I felt the need to paint....with pink paint. I just wanted to slather pink paint all over a canvas.

And so I did, and it felt good, I was creating again. I had no idea what I wanted to paint other than the usual....flowers or roosters, and since there aren't any pink roosters I decided on pink flowers.....pink roses. Pink cottage roses!

And......ta dah! This is the finished painting. I'm calling it Pink Cottage Rose.

It would be perfect hanging on one of the walls here at Mourning Dove Cottage, but I'm thinking I might sell it at Whimsy Two.

A fun project

This is a cat and dog seesaw whirligig that just came out of Galen's woodshop. All handmade. I had fun painting it in bright whimsical colors.

He hand carved the cat and dog figures and added pipe cleaners for tails. The seesaw moves up and down as the fan spins and the whole platform turns in the wind.

I don't know where he comes up with these ideas!

Kinda cute though.

Find it at whimsytwo.

Just another piece of whimsical folk art.

Painted the green frog....

on the purple marble roller.

Find it in my Whimsy Two shop along with all the other great wooden toys for kids!

A new wooden tray

I love it when Galen brings in a finished tray from the wood shop.

A blank canvas!

Maybe a cluster of grapes on this one....

When it's finished it will go in my shop with the other trays.

.....off to paint now,

Enjoy your day!

Faux tole

Black and gold painted flowers.

Remember this wooden wastecan I found at Goodwill?

Well, I spray painted it black.

I painted gold flowers on each side and trimmed it out with gold edges. Then I sprayed it with a high gloss paint. Looks like metal, doesn't it?

Here is my faux tole wastecan now sitting beside my computer desk.

Repainted bookcase

Remember the red bookcase that needed to be repainted? It's finally finished.

The hot weather stalled the project for awhile. It was so hot outside I think the paint would have melted right off the wood.

Saturday (a bit cooler) I primed the bookcase in the back yard...




and put two coats of creamy white paint on.

Finished!

We moved the bookcase back in the corner in the dining room where I had it before. This corner has always been dark and I think the white brightens it up a bit.

I brought some "white" things down from the attic and I'm playing with vignettes. I filled one dish with moss and sea shells. Maybe some flowers...or a white plate...still working on it.

I have a few other white pieces on the side board in the dining room ~ eventually everything will come together, I'm sure.