7gypsies Bird House – upcycled cereal box

Spring has sprung here at CCB! And we’ve got everything you need to create your own 7gypsies bird house!
I am Cathy Frailey and I have for a fun tutorial on how to recycle an empty cereal box into a gorgeous spring-inspired piece of home decor.

Springy paper, rustic paints and textiles, and fun stash paque ephemera lent a hand in creating a fun decor piece you can display all year round!

Materials used for the bird house:
Canvas Corp Colored Burlap 12×12 – Natural, Sand, Wheat
7gypsies Gypsy Moments 8×8 paper pad
7gypsies 12×12 paper – Take Our Breath Away
Architextures™ Stash Paque – Enjoy
Tattered Angels Color Wash Paint Faux Finish – Bronze
Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze Paint – Satchel
Tattered Angels Chalkboard Mist Paint – Iron
Empty cereal box
Various items from the yard (twigs, flowers, etc)
Moss, Twine, Sisal, Craft bird
Distress ink, Brick stencil, Brick stencil, Small dowel
Stucco, Crackle paste, Soft matte gel
Scissors, Hot glue gun, Paint brush, Palette knife, Paper distresser

Cut your food box in the shape you want – don’t cut down the sides so that the box opens up, just across the top which will be your roofline. I made mine a little wonky.

Take your paper and start cutting it to fit the front, back, and sides – you can lay your box on the paper and trace it.
Distress your edges and start adhering. You can leave the top without paper – you’ll cover it with stucco.

Start putting your stucco around the top, side edges, and anywhere else you like!
Also use your stencil and paste in various places.
You can use your heat gun to set it enough to use the paints, maybe 5 minutes or so.
Or let it dry more while you go outside to gather your natural elements.

Take your colors and dip your brush in water first to thin the paints and let them run around your bricks and on your stucco.

Cut an opening for your bird – I had a big bird so I had to cut some of its backside so it would fit inside.
Paint your dowel with the Bronze and Satchel for your perch.

Start hot gluing your burlap, moss, sisal, and various outdoor treasures haphazardly across the roof opening.
Remember, birds throw a bunch of found items together for their homes!

I used mixed letters from the stash paque to create my birdhouse sign.

The paints give the bricks and stucco a realistic look.

My birds were real gypsies, grabbing all kinds of items to thatch their roof.
A couple parrots from the stash paque have taken up residence on the roof as well.

The stash pacque also had a couple bugs that like to hang out on the back of the house.

What can you make using your empty boxes? I’d love to hear and see your ideas!!!

Cathy Frailey
blog and Instagram

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