"Ladybird" ~ (or Bug!) ~ House Tutorial...

When I was small, I thought it was so confusing to hear Ladybugs

 

 referred to as "Ladybirds"...(that was First Lady Mrs. Johnson, right?)

 

Weren't they bugs?

 

I probably read this somewhere...maybe a book I had called them that.

 

Anyway, Cornell University refers to them as Ladybugs, Ladybirds and Lady Beetles.

 

You can read more about them here...

 

They are so good for the garden!

 

So, even though they are not birds, the Fairies can refer to them as such if they want.

 

And provide little houses for them.

 

;^)

 

♥

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Here's what I used; a marble-sized amount of lavender polymer clay;



a tiny bit of brown clay, an acorn cap, a sort-of straight twig



(I used chopsticks for the first ones, and you can do that...I rubbed a



little brown antiquing gel on them ~ but this looks better, I think);



liquid polymer, and a little Pearl Ex mica powder.



A paintbrush was my only tool.



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Condition the lavender clay well by kneading it until soft;



roll it into a sort of egg-shape; flattening the ends a little.



You want your house's roof to have a little overhang,



so you may have to adjust the amount of clay you use, depending on the size of the cap.



I used a drop of the liquid polymer as "glue", but if you don't have any,



just pretend that you do and put the "roof" on, anyway ~



then you can use regular glue to attach it permanently after it's baked.



The liquid polymer just saves a step.



Set the house aside for now.



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I could have used a toothpick for the perch...



I knew that a twig that small would be too fragile...



But I liked the fact that I could make a tiny snake of clay,



bake it, and then cut it to size with scissors and it would look



more like a miniature "dowel"; the look I was going for.



I rolled it out super-skinny and baked it for 30 minutes.



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While waiting for the perch to bake, I used the end of the brush handle to make a door.



Then I used the handle again to make texture on the surface of the clay.



The house will probably be a little misshapen now, but you can re-shape it



and give it texture at the same time...


 

After it had cooled completely (it will be too soft and flexible to do this

 

with while it's still warm), I pushed the perch into the clay, right under the door.

 

Then I removed it and put a drop of liquid polymer in the hole

 

before replacing the perch. I also trimmed it a little more with scissors at this point.

 
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Use the paintbrush handle (it's much sturdier!) to make a hole in the bottom



of the house for the twig. I used a drop of liquid polymer here, too.



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Lightly brush with a little Pearl Ex powder, and bake for 45 minutes at 275° ~



(Using Premo...refer to specific directions if using another clay.)



 Ta-Da! ~ You have a Ladybird
Ladybug house for your Fae!



I think they would look cute in a potted plant, too.



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Update on the robins...



I read that it takes 12-14 days for the eggs to hatch, and I think this is only day 8...



In the meantime, the parents watch me carefully when I go near



their little willow!




When the babies hatch, I will take pictures every day. :^)



Just to reassure myself, and maybe some of you, I looked this up about baby birds  ~ ♥



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Cyrus has chosen a new napping-spot, I discovered this afternoon ~



(Look at his little tongue...he often leaves it sticking out a little ~ I think it's so cute!



Sometimes it's way out...)



His spot is behind the door, behind the sack of kitty food...



He wants to be sure he's the first to know when I put more in the bowls!



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And finally, Tallulah ~ helping me from her little cushion by the computer...



(If she doesn't have this, she sits on the keyboard...)



Have a Happy Mother's Day, all!



Love,