This is the first time that Dennis and Kay have worked together to produce one-of-a-kind ornaments.
Dennis turns the four parts of the birdhouse: roof, body, perch, and bottom finial. Kay decorates each roof with permanent inks. The patterns come from Zentangle® forms and Kay’s own quilting patterns. They are done spontaneously, so each one is different. The Zentangle method is a fun way to create images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.
The roofs are all turned from aspen, which takes the ink like a high quality vellum surface. The perch and finial are holly. The bodies are made from either American cherry or walnut.
After each part is completed, Dennis applies finish, and installs the hanging eyelet and hook. The roof and body are remounted on the lathe for a final polish before the birdhouse is glued together.