Birdhouse Projects and Crafts With Gourds

Basic Birdhouse

• To create a basic gourd birdhouse, you will need a completely dried-out gourd, acrylic paint, craft wire, paintbrush, a drill and drill bits. Drill a 2-inch hole in the gourd for the bird to enter. Drill small holes in the top for ventilation and in the bottom for water drainage. Paint the gourd in the colors of your choice with acrylic paints, add a coat of sealant to protect it from the weather and hang it with craft wire from a tree limb.

Couple Gourds

• Transform a pair of dried gourds into a married couple of his-and-hers birdhouses with acrylic paint, twine, a drill and some drill bits. Drill a 2-inch hole in each gourd for the doorways. Use smaller drill bits to make the ventilation and drainage holes. Paint faces on the gourds with acrylic paint. On the male gourd, paint short hair and a mustache. On the female gourd, paint long hair, lipstick, long eyelashes, blush and eye shadow. When the paint is dry, spray both gourds with an outdoor sealant. Hang the couple side by side from a tree with twine.

Holiday

• You will need several dried-out gourds, a drill, drill bits, paint and twine to make holiday-themed birdhouses. First, drill the holes for entry, ventilation and drainage. For Christmas, paint the gourd green with red accents. For Valentine's Day, paint the gourd red like a heart and write the words "Be Mine" in a contrasting color. For Easter, paint several small gourds in pastel paint like Easter eggs. Hang the gourds with twine from any tree. Spray with an outdoor weather sealant to make them weather-resistant.

Beehive

• Create a beehive gourd birdhouse with yellow and black acrylic paint, a drill, drill bits, clear weather-resistant spray paint, paintbrushes and twine. Paint black and yellow stripes on the gourd and paint the words "Bee Nice" on one of the yellow stripes. Paint small bumblebees on one of the other yellow stripes. Drill a 2-inch hole in the side of the gourd for the birds, as well as the ventilation and drainage holes. Spray clear weather-resistant paint all over the gourd to protect it from bad weather. Tie twine to the gourd to hang it from a tree.