Breaking the Mold with a Stained Glass Bird House
Bird houses are traditional craft time projects. They are often painted by children for their parents at summer camp, or are cut and assembled by beginner woodworkers in introductory classes. Older men and women will often purchase bird house making kits to try at home, simple projects that include plans and materials.
These houses are often simple, four-walled houses with a roof, entrance and perch-the kind of bird houses often depicted in cartoons. However, even the simplest bird house fulfills its ultimate purpose-to protect a bird.
But for those looking for bird houses that add a bit more to the yard, a sense of imagination, creativity and vibrant color, traditional bird houses may not cut it, and craft time may be better served with a different project.
For these individuals, a stained glass bird house could be the perfect solution. Different, inventive, but still functional, a stained glass bird house is the perfect combination for both bird watchers and homeowners-the balance between bird house and artwork.
Advanced Craftsmanship
For the most part, a stained glass bird house is not going to be crafted by the bird watcher or the bird owner. Working with stained glass is a very specific hobby, and while there are individuals out there who will love working with glass and watching birds, most people are going to end up purchasing a stained glass bird house from a store.
While unique, they are available in a variety of shops, including garden stores, pet stores and feed stores. A stained glass bird house is usually traditionally shaped, as they are difficult to make and getting too complicated can weaken the house.
All bird houses must be able to endure the elements, and with a material as fragile as glass, getting too creative can mean breaking the house. While the walls are made from soldered glass, the roof, perch and corners are often crafted from brass or copper, giving the house the appearance of glass but providing it with a little extra strength.
For those individuals who do wish to make a stained glass bird house, whether for their bird watching enthusiasm or for the next step in their stained glass hobby, patterns are available online or in numerous books.
Usually a few different types of glass are needed, along with the brass or other metal to forge the roof. The patterns are not too complicated, as the walls are square or rectangle, and soldering is kept to a minimum. The end result is beautiful and unique, and any stained glass enthusiast will be proud of his or her work.
