I used to belong to a few Craft Kit of the Month Clubs back in Washington. I love them because they send you everything you need to try a new craft, and it's really inexpensive - around $16 a month. It's a lot of fun to try new techniques and I've had a lot of success with them but a few have been duds.
I got this one a few years ago. The birdhouse was, thankfully, all assembled. This project was just painting and adding the flower and butterfly rub-ons, and sticking the chimes to the bottom. I remember not having a good time with this, and there wasn't enough paint to really adequately cover the whole surface.
When it came to adhering the chimes to the bottom, I encountered a great deal of trouble. Nothing would work. I finally decided to use Gorilla Glue. That stuff is amazing, it really, truly is a strong adhesive. But for the annoying problem of the foaming up as it dries. I used too much glue, and the foam lifted the chime base right of the bottom of the birdhouse. It was stuck on permanently, but it looked really messed up. I made it worse by trying to paint the foam green like the base.
God this thing looked like shit. I think I donated it to the Goodwill when I was packing to move east.
I was solicited to join the club again, and it looked like they had a lot of new projects, as well as a couple of the old ones. Imagine my dismay when the birdhouse chimes showed up as my first kit. I was disappointed and almost sent it back. But I thought I'd try it again, now that I have an arsenal of better adhesives. So I opened it and guess what? The paint was completely dry. That's OK, I'll just use my own in the same colour palette, but brighter shades. Once I added the dots and squiggles, it really looked 100% better than the first time I did it.
Then I did the rub-ons and glued the pre-painted birdie on the base.
This time I used E6000 to glue the chimes to the bottom. They are centered, it just doesn't look that way in this pic.
it looks great! I thought the first one looked pretty good too... you've now set me off looking to see if we have a club like this in the UK!
ReplyDeleteHA! As soon as I read "Gorilla Glue", I thought instantly - NO! Use E6000!
ReplyDeleteThat stuff is amazing.
And no wonder the paint was dried out - it has been waiting for years for you to re-join the club! ;)
Looks pretty nice to me. I'd hate to see what mine would have turn out if I had done this.
ReplyDeleteLee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
Well, if I was a bird, I'd be thrilled with EITHER house!
ReplyDeleteCrafts can be fun or annoying. I've found some kits are better than others.
ReplyDeleteThe final birdhouse is very nice. I also have a birdhouse to paint that a friend made for us.
I drew my own design on it (flowers, picket fence, etc), then we had to move, so haven't finished it yet. Maybe this spring I will, now that you've reminded me.
Lovely as usual. Can't stop laughing at gorilla glue! What a name.
ReplyDeleteHot off the presses! This blog received a Liebster Award on Effectively Human: http://effectivelyhuman.blogspot.com/2013/02/liebster-love-time.html
ReplyDeletePractice makes perfect!
ReplyDeleteAre birdies supposed to use it or is it just for decoration?
Thanks everyone!!
ReplyDeleteThe kit came with a sealer that I painted on after the paint was dry, so I hope that it's weather-proof. I will hang it outside this spring and see what happens.
Can't believe that was the first one they sent you, too funny. I didn't think the first one looked bad, but the new one turned out really cute!
ReplyDeleteI've never used Gorilla Glue though I've had people tell me how great it is. Nice to know that it tends to expands as it cures.
ReplyDeleteYour second attempt at the Birdhouse Wind Chimes turned out wonderfully. I think your choice of paint colors outshines what the Club sent you.
BTW, did you inform the club that the paints in your kit were all dried out ? It is something that they should be made aware of, especially if they want to keep members happy and encourage new memberships.
Kind of cute, but wild that you got the same kit twice in a row!
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
The only reason I didn't inform the club that the paints were dry was that in the past when I've complained about missing pieces or dry paint, they send me an entirely new kit instead of the piece I need. I didn't want a second birdhouse (I wouldn't have to pay for it though).
ReplyDeleteJo Jo you did a great job on your bird house. That is the great thing about wood, you can paint it with any color and anyway you want.
ReplyDelete