Country Chic Bird Wall Hanging

This is the third in a series of country chic wall hangings. The first was the country chic sheep followed by the country chic pig.

Supplies and Equipment

• ~8" x 8" x ¾" MDF or Baltic birch plywood or scraps to accommodate body pattern
• ~6" x 6" x ¼" MDF or Baltic birch plywood or scraps to accommodate wing and feet patterns and optional flower pattern
• Three 10" lengths 18 gauge brass wire
• Pattern for Country Chic Bird
• FolkArt acrylic paint
• Liquid wood adhesive
• Proxxon MICRO Bandsaw MBS/E or Proxxon Scroll Saw DS 460
• Bench Drill Press TBM
• Proxxon Delta Sander

Instructions 

1. Mount the pattern pieces on appropriate scraps. Cover one side of the blank with painter's tape. Mist the back side of the pattern with spray adhesive, and mount on the taped blank. The painter's tape made removal of the pattern easy without leaving any sticky residue.
   
2. Cut the shapes using the bandsaw or scroll saw.
   
3. Using the drill press and brad point drill bit, drill the holes in the feet and body as indicated on the pattern. Placing a piece of waste wood under the hole helps eliminate tear-out on the back side.
   
4. Sand surfaces and edges with the Delta sander.
   
5. Coat the pieces with a layer of gesso. Gesso primes the surface for painting, making the surface ready to accept acrylic paint.When the gesso is dry, paint the pieces with your choice of FolkArt acrylic paints.
   
6. Using a liquid wood adhesive, glue the wing in place. A rhinestone can be glued in place for the eye, or it can be painted. I opted to glue a silk flower in place, but the pattern includes a flower that can be cut and then painted.
7. For the legs, coil a length of wire around a ¾" dowel. Attach on end to the bird body and the other to a foot.
   
8. Use one the length of wire to attach the the top holes on the bird body for hanging.
   

Carole