Clean, and sand a dried gourd. Wipe with a tack cloth. Drill 2 small holes at the top of the gourd large enough to thread jute. Drill a larger hole to act as a hole for the bird.

Base coat the gourd with 2 coats of Old Parchment allowing each coat to dry thoroughly. Draw on the Bees (See Bee Pattern above) in a random pattern making sure they are facing all directions. They look goods in groups of 3 or alone.

Base coat the wings in Light Buttermilk. Let dry. Base coat the bee body in Straw. Let dry. Base coat the head and stripes in Black. Let dry. Outline the wings, add antenna and a stinger with a permanent marker. You can also add the dotted lines to show where he has been and the curved lines to hint at wing movement. Allow to dry thoroughly before you spray with a matte finish.

Thread jute through the top holes of the gourd and tie for hanging. You can add lengths of jute in a bow if you'd like.

Optional: You may want to add Buzz on Inn around the door opening but make sure you allow for this when you draw the bees on.

Country Crafts Featuring Country Cuts by Fresca Visit the Country Crafts web site to sign up for their Free newsletter, order patterns, get tips from the artist, learn new ways to decorate your kitchen to give it a homespun country feeling, craft with your children, or enter contests.