Taking up a project one has left to one side is always hard. However, it is even harder when the same project just will not let you go. When it gets into your brain, it makes its way into your every thought – no matter how unrelated – and it just does not let go! It is like that stubborn tune you hear – many times wish you haven’t – and you just cannot shake it: it is there for at least a week!  (By the way, have you found a trick to combat this nightmarish situation?)

The reason the birdhouse project was occupying my thoughts was quite simple. I had to make an adjustment and I had no idea how to tackle it.

The sides were the toughest parts to create due to the complicated three paneled windows. I thought they would look quite good, why not then? The problem arose when after a day of completing the skeleton of the house I  realized that it is too thick. Looking at it with fresh eyes I thought it would look much better if it were about 50% thinner.

And that is when the dilemma started. What should I do with the windows? Should they stay or should they… there was not even an opportunity to finish the question. I worked too long on them, and I liked them far too much to simply trash them! And then the question comes: what to do?

I though about it, thought about it and nothing. And then a couple of days later I suddenly realized all I had to do was change the original window design. This would allow me to cut out a portion of the side panel – between the window frame and the corners – and glue the remaining part back on. Voila! That easy????

birdhouse resizing walls

Once you know the how to, the what to seems so simple! Then came the chimney, now that I was so into the modification. When it all came together I knew I would not be able to wait another day to start experimenting with the color! My husband suggested to mimic a blue house we saw in a book about Bergen, Norway, so blue it became! And such a beautiful color!

Bergen blue birdhouseThe thing is, now I’m stuck on the question of how to create the realistic looking planks that make up these beautiful wooden houses  Oh boy, I’m into the same trouble as before…