I hadn’t planned to write about this small craft Clara and I made, but when we received a photo of John’s Granny smiling and holding our creation I wanted to preserve the moment here. We made a simple, cheerful birdhouse featuring Clara’s handprints on the roof.
The birdhouse started out a dark red (it was a bargain from HomeGoods), but because Granny is such a sunny presence we decided to repaint it in brighter colors and add Clara’s hands as a personal touch. We covered the facade with white paint and painted the roof yellow to mask the original red. Our brushstrokes weren’t perfect, but the little imperfections only add to its handmade charm.
Next we coated Clara’s hands in white paint and pressed them onto the roof four times—two right-hand prints on the right, two left-hand prints on the left. After the paint dried, I sprayed the whole birdhouse with a clear outdoor sealant. I applied three thin coats to help protect the paint from weather, then signed the bottom with a Sharpie and added the date.
A short while later John’s parents delivered the birdhouse to Granny and sent back the sweet photo of her holding it. Clara was overjoyed to see Granny with her handmade gift, and it felt wonderful to create something together that made someone we love smile.
If you enjoy easy handprint projects, crafting with kids is a simple way to make meaningful keepsakes. Are you working on any kid-friendly crafts lately? They’re often some of my favorite, too.