Hello everyone!
This is my first craftster posting of my own project (rejoice!), but I haven't posted enough yet for my pictures to work (boo!). So I apologize in advance for making you click the links.
Almost everything I used for this project is reused, but only a few items came from drawers and they are structural and supporting features rather than focal points of the piece. Hopefully, this still qualifies for the challenge but I would be more than happy to repost elsewhere if it doesn't. I'm so proud of what I made that I just have to show it to everyone!
Anyway, here goes...
The items I had in drawers were: an old holey jersey sheet, some hemp string and some marbles.
My other materials consisted of: a cardboard box which formerly held juiceboxes, metal strips from a collapsible laundry bag that had too many holes to use without losing socks and underwear en route to the laundromat, a bird ornament that I was given as a gift over the winter, a burlap tree wrapping, leftover poster paper, a tealight candle holder, some ribbons that I had recently torn off a thrift store dress, and a twig perch from my late pet lovebird (RIP Zippy).
1. Cut two large circles out of cardboard and poke a hole through the center of each. Secure bird perch into first circle.
2. Form a bridge between the twigs by braiding string and tying to perch.
Make sure it's sturdy or the ornament will fall. Clip ornament to bridge.
3. Form the nest by braiding lengths of sheet with lengths of burlap. For a messier nest, use two burlap and one jersey. For a cleaner nest, use two jersey and one burlap or forget the burlap altogether. Use a large needle and hemp string to stitch the braid to itself and tie the nest to the perch.
4. Cut the metal strips to a length long enough to be secured at one side of the cardboard circle, reach over the bird, and enter the other side of the circle. Poke the strips through each side, bend to a 90 degree angle at the ends, and secure to cardboard temporarily with tape.
Lash the tops of each arc with ribbon as you add the strips to hold the appropriate shapes.
-I used 4 strips to make 8 cage bars. To be more realistic, use more strips. I kinda liked the theoretical idea of the bird being able to escape through the bars should she please. Zippy was a free spirit and frequently escaped
5. Unscrew the bottom of the perch and hot glue the second cardboard circle to the underside of the first, hiding the ends of the metal strips. Reattach nut to secure perch. Assembly complete!
6. Decorate! I used plain white poster paper and modge podge to cover up the brown cardboard. I painted the edges of the circle and all the metal strips gold.
I glued a gold ribbon to the circle edge to hide the ugly cardboard. I painted the tealight holder gold and filled it with birdseed, then I glued a few beige pearlescent marbles to the bottom of the cage as "eggs." Zippy wasn't always very good at making nests and a few eggs would always end up on the bottom of the cage.
7. Hang the cage by the ribbons at the top and enjoy
Thanks for looking!
Koombalai
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