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Articles, How-To's and Interviews -
DIY and How-To's
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Written by Jennifer Thompson
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Materials:
Unpainted wooden birdhouse - I find them at Michael's Craft Stores
Colored and/or patterned plates, and at least one cup
Tile adhesive
Dry exterior grade grout, about 1 cup
Waterproofing sealant
Latex gloves
Hammer
Tile cutters
Container for mixing grout
Acrylic paint(s) in color(s) that complement the china pieces
Clear matte or shiny varnish
 You
can find all sorts of great plates at thrift stores and garage
sales. Keep an eye out for colorful plates and interesting patterns.
Pastels and plates with a lot of white in them donĚt look
as good as bright colors and strong patterns, but of course itĚs
all a matter of personal taste. Break up the plates into small
pieces by laying them on the floor, covering them with a towel,
and hitting them with the hammer hard enough to break them without
shattering them into teeny pieces. You can use the tiles cutters
later to cut pieces into desired sizes, if necessary. Break the
handles of of the cups - you'll use a handle for a perch on your
birdhouse.
To put your china pieces on the birdhouse, first apply some of
the tile adhesive to the back of a piece of china, and then press
it onto the birdhouse. Try not to leave too many empty spaces.
Be sure to really secure the cup handle to the birdhouse. If
your birdhouse came with a wooden perch already, just saw it
off and replace it with the cup handle.
 I
like to let my birdhouse sit for about a week and really set
before filling in the grout. When itĚs time to do the grout,
mix it up according to the package directions. I find the easiest
way to apply the grout is to wear latex gloves and work the grout
in with my hands. Again, I like to let the grout set for about
a week before waterproofing it. When youĚre ready to put
on the sealant, one coat is plenty. I use grout sealant like
that used for tile floors.
To finish off the birdhouse, paint any trim that remains with
your acrylic paint(s) and seal it with a matte or shiny varnish.
Have fun!
See our related project: Mosaic
Stepping Stones
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