Updating the 13 year old birdhouse - a la 5 year old.

13 years ago, when Darren and I moved into a quaint little house in Nova Scotia, his mother gave us a beautiful birdhouse for the yard. It has proudly stood outside in our backyard no matter where we lived. It's a beautiful structure and I've never come across another one I've liked nearly a much.

5 years ago it started to show major signs of wear and weather. The finials were being eaten away by rain, the bird perches were mostly gone and the roofs had begun to crack and break.

When we moved here last year the birdhouse went into the shed. I had intended on fixing it up but didn't know where to start and didn't have time.

I have time now.

A week ago I found the finials on eBay for $1.00 each. They arrived yesterday. Em asked what they were so we pulled out the birdhouse and I showed her where it was broken and we had to fix it.

I hadn't intended to fix it up right then and there but she suggested we do it and honestly, one look in her beautiful hazel eyes and I couldn't say no.

Out came the wood glue and we fixed the roof. The one remaining finial was unceremoniously discarded and the dust/bird poop/dead grass and such was cleaned off the rest of the structure.

Paint. Crap. I have no idea where the paint is!!!. Emily helped me search through our crazy mess craft boxes and we found a few suitable (to a 5 year old) paints that were still usable (and pitched the crappy hard-as-a-rock 10 year old paint).

I gave her complete control of the colours. A dangerous suggestion but she carefully held the bottles of paint to the roof, sides and finials and decides that purple / green and ivory would be the best.

Once the wood glue was dry we started painting. She did an amazing job and the end result looks great.

A few coats of outdoor sealer and this house will be back outside for the birds.

Thanks for the help Emily - today was fun.