After spending more time at home looking out my window, I noticed how many wrens I have in my yard! I have a few bird houses in my yard, but you can always have more. After seeing others make license plate birdhouses I looked at few DIY ideas online and added a few helpful tips. This birdhouse can work for any bird mine just has a smaller entrance hole for the Wren. I found this one to be really simple for someone who does not always like to use a lot of math. The wood I used was recycled from other projects. The license plates came from past cars but you could always hit up an antique shop or market. I have always been a fan of vintage license plates. This project took around 3 - 4 hours total at a leisurely pace.

When painting abstractly less can be more.

Here are all the wood pieces cut needed for one birdhouse. Refer to the YouTube video to watch how to assemble.

Thank you Sun Catcher studio for the original plans. I made another bird house below with a longer back piece. The one advantage is easier mounting. The biggest change as you can see shown below is having one side that you can open to clean out at t… — Thank you Sun Catcher studio for the original plans. I made another bird house below with a longer back piece. The one advantage is easier mounting. The biggest change as you can see shown below is having one side that you can open to clean out at the end of the year. Wren houses get very messy!

Side entrance has one screw on bottom that can easily be removed and flipped open to clean. Ventilation could also be added to the bottom and corners to allow airflow and drainage for water.

Make sure to sand any sharp wood that could rub against the wren.

Leftover interior house paint. I also used acrylic paint. Just make sure not to use anything toxic.

Here is my non sponsored endorsement for Posca Paint Pens. I love how quick they dry and can be layered.

You could easily use a sturdy table or hard surface to bend as well.

The nice thing about license plate is the bend easily.

You can see on this different design the longer back to make mounting on a tree easier.

Vintage Wisconsin Endangered Species Plates

I hope this inspires you to make a birdhouse!

June 22-28 is National Pollinator Week! To celebrate and spread awareness I decided to make a tutorial on how to needle felt some of my favorite pollinators. Many of these creatures live right in our backyards. Pollinators can be birds, bees, insects, and even some types of mammals. Pollinators are vital to many of the foods and help keep ecosystems balanced. You can help pollinators by reducing or eliminating your use of pesticides. If you have yard space you could help create a pollinator-friendly habitat with plants and places to live. For this project I used needle felting materials: a piece of foam to felt into, wool roving and of course needles. You can find these materials online or in most craft stores. Remember to take your time and have fun!

Recently I was given a vintage canoe paddle from my dad that he acquired years ago. He knew I could do something artistic with it. Naturally I decided to add some paint and color. Below is the process and steps I used to repurpose the canoe paddle. I hope this inspires you!

Being an Art Teacher I had to go with the primary colors!

I used painters tape to create the lines. Make sure the tape is pressed tightly.

I used spray paint but any permanent paint would work. When spray painting make sure you are aware of the wind directions so paint does not go on the handle.

The biggest question now is where to display the canoe paddle?

It is with great sadness that I resigned today from my Art Teacher position at the Burlington Area School District.

Many teachers do not have the privilege I do to choose between their career and their safety. It is unfortunate that many teachers are caught between politics and therefore left feeling voiceless. I did not feel safe teaching at three different schools with full classes of students. I would be exposed and exposing myself to nearly 500 students per week. I am not willing to put myself, my family, and our students at risk. I am not comfortable knowing that I could play a factor in the community spread which will directly or indirectly lead to people dying. One student or staff member's life is too many.

I have no plans for what is next in life. Art will always be my passion and I will continue to create. Incredibly grateful to have the support of Allie and my family and friends.