The bird house is steaming

The laptop is perched on my knees and I must admit it's rather nice to feel the warmth coming off it! It's been a really sunny day here and comparatively mild but, now the evening is drawing in it's gone really chilly and I'm feeling a mite shivery. It's a hot shower for me after I post this and there's a chicken roasting in the oven for later. 

Anyway, the birdhouse in the title of this post, is made using the Sizzix Rounded 3D Birdhouse die. It's another of the Bigz XL ones, so you do need the extended plates to use it. I've been working on several projects today, in preparation for the three days at Event City in Manchester in February, but this birdhouse was my favourite.....

.....I'd made a couple of more "conventional" versions and then decided to go a little steampunk! The chimney is not part of the die, but was quite simply made by rolling up a tube of paper and snipping across it so I could form the bend. 

I used a Graphic 45 paper for the main body of the birdhouse and the roof is from a DCWV pad. A quick rummage through my box of Ideaology bits and pieces gave me the metal flowers, leaves, cogs and keyhole. The little key was in my "allsorts" tin! I used a mixture of decorative brads by MME to attach the flowers to the roof and walls.

The metal embellishments go all the way round the birdhouse. Here's a closer look at the base....

....I attached the key using a large jump ring through a hole in the roof edge with an eyelet secured using a Cropodile.

I really enjoyed making this whimsical piece which stands around 5" high. It's not difficult to put the 3D objects together as they've been so well designed and it means you can really go to town on the decoration. I'll share more of my projects in the next couple of weeks...I've still got lots to do....as well as all my stamped projects for Stitches!

Right, the thought of a hot shower is drawing me now, and I can smell roast chicken, so I shall sign off for this evening and go and get warmed up!