When I first tried this project, it reminded me of the little birdhouses my grandfather used to build. Only this time, the magic is in the paint and glitter.

I added owls wearing Santa hats and dusted the whole house with snow, which instantly made it look festive and alive.

What I love about it is how personal you can make it, paint different animals, add family initials, or change the wreath style.

It’s one of those keepsakes that carries memory and creativity in equal measure.

Materials Needed

• 12-14 jumbo popsicle sticks (6 inch)
• 3-4 small smooth pebbles (1-2 inch each)
• Acrylic paints (gray, white, red, black, green, brown)
• Small piece of twine (8 inch) for hanging
• Mini faux wreath or jute twine + red beads
• Small branch (about 6 inch long)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Small paintbrushes (fine tip for details)

Step-by-step Guide

Step 1: Arrange popsicle sticks into a house shape (five for the front, two for the roof, two for the back support). Glue them in place and let dry.

Step 2: Paint the house gray and lightly brush white along the edges to give it a snowy effect.

Step 3: Paint your pebbles with cute owl or bird designs, add Santa hats for a festive touch. Let dry completely.

Step 4: Glue the branch horizontally at the bottom of the house to create a perch. Then attach the painted pebbles on top of the branch.

Step 5: Add the mini wreath above the owls and a red heart at the roof peak.

Step 6: Attach twine at the back for hanging, and dust with a little extra white paint for a frosted, snowy finish.

Tip:

If you don’t have pebbles, you can cut small cardboard circles and paint them, it works just as well!