Faux Metal Birdhouse Tabletop Fountain

Materials

Walnut Hollow birdhouses
Mayco Magic Metallic paint with patinas
30" of 1" wide wood dowel
clean loose gravel
tin pie plate
small indoor water fountain pump
1/2" clear tubing
Spanish moss
craft glue
craft wire
clean small pebbles
drill with 1", 1/2", 1/4" drill bits
fine-grit sandpaper
hammer
paint brushes
small tacks
water sealer for wood

1. Using fine sandpaper, sand wood until smooth.

2. Drill hole up through center of birdhouses for dowel (figure A).

3. Drill 1/2-inch hole through lower back of bottom birdhouse for clear 1/2-inch tubing (figure B).

4. Using large flat brush, basecoat birdhouses with metal paint. Allow to dry for an hour.

5. Apply a second coat. While paint is wet, apply patina on roofs and houses for an old metal outdoor look (figure C).

6. With large brush, apply several coats of outdoor water sealer. Let dry thoroughly between coats.

7. Using drill and 1/4-inch drill bit, drill small holes in the base of birdhouses for water to flow out.

8. Stack birdhouses on top of each other with dowel up through the middle, having smallest birdhouse on top (figure D).

9. Set birdhouses into the tin. Insert pump under bottom birdhouse and connect clear tubing (figure E).

10. Run tubing out and up back side of stacked birdhouses. Secure to back of houses with wire and tacks.

11. Using craft glue, attach moss to hide the tubing. Attach small pieces of moss on random areas of the roof and birdhouses. Let dry.

12. Add water to base and turn on pump.