Quick link to this week's color challenge
When we moved to Queen Creek in 1998 there were not a lot of houses around us. Queen Creek had a boom on people moving out here, so they had actually put like a freeze on titles or something, so people owned the land but they could not get their house built at that time. It was crazy. One of these neighbors was Jim and his wife Jo, and she had to drive out here twice each day to drop her son off at the bus stop and then come pick him up…what a pain eh?
Anyway, years later, Jim and Jeff are still great friends and you can hear them laughing together across the fence. So Jeff had all last week off (love those furlough days…NOT) so the guys decided to have a little competition and they would each build a bird house and then the girls that came to my next class would vote on which one they liked best.
Who knew they would both build a barn…ha!
So although the girls already did their voting last weekend, and the red and blue ribbons have been handed out. I think it was a Pabst Blue Ribbon…ha! Just kidding.
I still wanted to share with you their masterpieces and give you a couple days to enter your vote, and then on Friday I'll tell you who won…and whose house was whose.
Bird house 1 – Flat Tire Farms
This one was the bigger of the two.
Notice the bark roof, lots of places for birds to roost and to make a home.
It has plenty of parking if you have guests come to visit.
(Can you tell I am listening to HGTV and the home buyer kinda show? – Ha!)
Here is the windmill, and in the back the silo, with the ladder up the side.
Notice the water catching box behind the wind mill for the birds to get a nice fresh drink.
Just so you don't mistake the place for the Playboy Mansion, there is a nice sign telling you that this is Flat Tire Farms.
Looks like business is good too, there is already a customer waiting to get "pumped up".
Please note: everything is cosmetic and does not actually work…ha!
Birdhouse 2 – Deer Antler Barn
Here is a quaint little barn, it is about half the size of the other Birdhouse. I would say it is more of a starter home, for a new family.
The owner of this Birdhouse is a hunter and likes to show off his trophies.
On those cold winter nights, no worries, there is lots of wood to burn to keep you warm. All neatly stacked and at the ready.
And as an added bonus, there has been a new roof installed recently, so you will stay nice and dry sitting around that fire.
Well there ya go….what do you think? Which one do you like best? and why? Birdhouse 1 or Birdhouse 2?
Have a great Wednesday and thanks for stopping in, and having fun with me today!
I like both of them! But if I had to pick, I guess I would take Birdhouse #2, because I LOVE the wood stacked at the side of the house with the little ax. It cracks me up! :^)
OMG!! No way could I choose a winner from either of them – good luck with that! lol
They are both just BEAUTIFUL bird houses – I've never seen anything like them!
Karen
x
How Can I vote…. one of these is your husbands…. but if he's anything like you and is a detail person, it's birdhouse #1 with all the extras…. the bark roof, the tractor, etc. (of course the room to park). If I'm wrong I'm really sorry because I thought both were great!!!!
I also (after I looked back) the detail of the second barn with the really nice room and the wood stacked at the side as well as the antlers over the door….
Sorry I forgot to mention these fun things on my first post. 🙂
WOWsa!!! those are amazing…way to keep the menfolk out of your hair girl!!! LOL
OK..both stunning masterpieces of construction and design.
I adore textures and secret rooms etc.
So I will go with Flat Tire farm. That little loft at the top looks like the perfect place for a little bird to put their craft room. And if you have your flock over to stamp you can go downstairs to the "Great Room". I like that it is a green building…powered by the wind too. Also I grew up in Ireland and our homes all have names there.
The other one is obviously the work of a master carpenter….but he needs to learn how to make a house a home 🙂 A little angle here or there would be nice. Also I am against blood sports…don't like animal bits on my walls LOL..fun!!!
Seriously…they are both amazing!!! I think they should continue these competitions
Wow – they are both awesome!! They are so different it is hard to pick which one I like best. Flat Tire Farms is very rustic, and Deer Antler Barn is nice and clean and crisp. I think I like the Deer one best…and I am guessing that one is Jeff's.
Luv ya
Jax
Both are beautiful and if I was a birdie in your backyard I would be happy to crap all over both of them 🙂 I love the detail on the first one, but #2 is more "me". I love the pile of wood at the side and the wee little axe. The construction is "cleaner". Isn't it funny how "men" amuse themselves. Too funny.
My choice is the smaller #2. Simple. Clean lines.
OK, these are both really cute birdhouses, but from a bird's perspective, Flat Tire Farms (now known as bird house #1) has the most appeal. Notice on woodpile barn (now known as bird house #2) there is no roost outside the loft. A bird can't fly directly into that hole unless he is a trained dive bomber, he might bump his head and get a concussion! The FTF's #1, on the other hand, has a place for lots of birds to hang out all day, water, a food silo, what's not to love. I vote for #1.
I like birdhouse nr. 1 the most because of the windmill. I live in the Netherlands so that's obivious 🙂
They both did a nice job building these birdhouses though!!
greetz, Margreet
Both bird houses look great, but I would have to say my most favorite is the flat tire farms.
OMG WOW these are fantastic! I love everything about both of them… and I thought I was talented LOL. These are great Di. TFS
Wow … tough choice – they are both great, but if I have to pick, then I will choose Bird House #2 – it is more appealing to me and I LOVE the deer antlers.
Great job guys!
Oh, wow, these are both awesome! I would have to vote for Flat Tire Farms, 'cause, although I've never actually 'lived' on a farm, just visited Gramma when I was a little girl, I'm a country girl at heart and love the open spaces.
oops, forgot to say I think that one is your hubby's.
WOW! I love them both, sorry I can not decide. They sure are different (and a lot better) from all the birdhouses I have ever seen. I have to ask, where these kits or did they have patterns or was it all on their own, because somebody is extremely talented.
Oh Diana!! They are both so adorable!! Who wouldn't want to move into either one? I'm thinking that the first one was built by Jeff, but I am not 100% on that. I love all the extra details!!The tractor looks just like a Deere! The second one is very tidy and crafted beautifully. My vote would be for the first one. Charming!! Both are winners!!
hugs~
Hi everyone!
This is so much fun, you know that Jeff reads my blog every morning, so I know he is getting a kick out of the comments.
The guys did not use a kit, they did look online at birdhouses for pictures, but they just "winged" it…ha!
Keep those votes coming!
Hugs,
Di
I love the details on both — the antlers and the wood pile on the barn, and the windmill, water box and roof on Flat Tire Farms. My vote is for Flat Tire Farms because I think I see white gel pen highlighting those letters on the sign! 😉 GREAT JOB, Jim and Jeff!
I would have to say birdhouse 2 because of its simplicity but thoughtful attention to detail. They are both wonderful creations though.
Hi Diana
I love them both. One for small birds & one for big birds. Just for voting I'll take the little barn for my small feathered friends.
I don't know if you read Birds & Blooms but the guys birdhouses could be entered in some of B & B's contests, too. Thanks for sharing Ellen A (CDN)
i would have to vote for #2…..for the fact that it is simple and uncluttered……..the way i like my life to be! just for the record, they are both great works of art!
They're both great! Kudos to both of the guys…
I've never built a birdhouse, but I've had fun painting and decorating a couple.
Which one should win? Tough call.
But, I think (like someone else) that Jeff made Birdhouse #1 -so I'm voting for that one.
This is a tough choice to be sure! Both bird mansions look amazing and I love all the details. While I really like the simplicity of Number 2, my vote goes for Number 1 – because of the adorable windmill, the ladder and the "Flat Tires Farm' sign.
I love the windmill in the first one. But I'll have to vote for number 2, I like the clean lines and look of that one the best.
Both are amazing though!
WOW!!!! This is really tough. I truly know how much work has gone into both birdhouses and he guys have worked very hard on their individual creations.
I love #1….it is so well thought out with all of the details…the windmill, the water trough and the silo, but I love that he put a perch out front for the birds to rest on.
I also rally like #2….simple clean lines. I love the antlers!! I also love the stack of wood with the details of the logs and the axe in the log!! And the shingles on the roof are out of this world!!!!
They should both be very proud!! And I think they should enter them into some contest somewhere!
However, you are asking us to vote….this is tough, but I have to vote for #1….I really love that perch!!(and all the rustic stuff…I love cabins! So, it's a personal preference in that part of it).
….Sharon 🙂
Oh, my word! They are both fantastic and I could not in anyway choose the best. Tell both those "boys" great job for me!
These are both great. The guys did an awesome job! My vote is for #2 – I love the antlers and stack of wood.
I like #2 for the clean lines and the wood pile. Mari
It is a very hard choice!!! However, I am going to vote for #1. I like the variety of color/wood choice for different features. The windmill, ladder, and tractor just really captured my heart! I feel bad even voting for one over the other, though, as so much went into both of them!!! Great job guys!!!
How can you judge a contest like this? Both are true works of art. I guess my favorite would have to be the Deer Antler barn. It's very clean and simple; the shake roof is wonderful, as is the carved antlers above the door. Any bird would be proud to call this place home! Congratulations to both of your carpenters! (Will we be seeing these on eBay soon?)
They are both Wonderful! I think it would have been more tedious to make #2,it just looks perfect, my vote for it.
Too funny about ebay, well since the guys used what they had on hand, some of it is interior glue….I would hate to ebay and they fall apart plus the one is so heavy it would cost a fortune to mail…ha!
Love that some of you are noticing things to make it easier to decide whose is whose!
Hugs,
Di
Oh my gosh, Diana, these are AMAZING!!! BOTH of them are true works of art! Those guys should go into business together! 🙂 While I would go GAGA if I owned either one of them, I am going to cast my vote for #1. I think it shows incredible creativity and just has those extra details to make it a one-of-a-kind original! Kudos to both of these fine artists! 🙂
I have to say they are both great! But if I have to pick… I'm going with Birdhouse #2-Deer Antler Barn, because I love the details of the wood stacked neatly on the side of the Barn, with the wood chopping stumps and an axe too! I also loved the Deer antlers over the door. The other one was clever and loved the details of the Windmill and the flat tire of the tractor. But #2 wins by a An Antler!
Oh my gosh, such PRESSURE!!!! I first caught sight of birdhouse 2. How is this you ask, seeing as the page opens from the top! Heck if I know, I was doing something. OP, I remember, I scrolled down to see the time. Nope, that's not it, oh I don't remember why.
I see birdhouse 2 and recalled this was the competition photo's. I loved it, birdhouse 2 ROCKED, hands down, end the competition. Hello, did you see the firewood detail and crap. Oh yeah, this one is IT! Then I scroll up slowly and holy cow man. So many details and the bark roof to help the birdies feel at home was so imaginative. All the gadgets were perfect. I don't know who to say should win. Birdhouse 1 is definitely over the top but birdhouse 2 is amazing and more simple for the little birdies. I think people will say birdhouse 1 so I will go with birdhouse 2.
WHO WON, I AM ON PINS AND NEEDLES!!!!!
Both of these are incredible!!! The attention to detail is just WOW. This is a hard choice, but I'm voting for #1. The windmill and the flat tire on the tractor is just too cute 🙂
I like them both, but I think #2 is Jeff's because of the clean line,the wood pile and the antlers. But when I voted at your house on Saturday I voted for #1.
Diana
OMGosh they are both gorgeous but me being a colonial girl I totally love #2 the barn
but you being creative I am sure Jeff made
#1 because our creativity has to rub off
onto our husbands right? Cannot wait to find out if I am right.
They are both really GREAT!! I love #1, but the attention to detail on #2 was just a little more awesome to me. #2 gets my vote. The woodpile and the antlers!!!
They are both wonderful. I like #2 for the clean lines and the detail but #1 also has a lot of detail and is a great conversation piece. I can picture a bird family really working the farm. As a result, I really can't choose. They are both great.
Oh my gosh! These are both so cute! My first thought was that your hubby must have done #1 because of the 'shadowing' of the letters on the sign. I'm sure he's seen you do that! We have a farm with an antique tractor that still runs, so I was very drawn to that one. It made me smile and I love everything about it. But I have to say #2 and the antlers and pile of firewood is very cute too! Kudos to both the artists here! Very impressive! They should send pics to Birds and Blooms magazine. Thanks for sharing these with us.
These are true works of art and craftsmanship. They are both amazing. Choosing one over the other is impossible. I love the bark and windmill on the first one. The antlers and detail on the stack of work on the second one are awesome. Way to go guys!
I love both of those houses! These guys are something else! My vote is for #1 however, #2 is the place I'd like to live in! Thanks for sharing.
I'll vote for #2. I like the 'cleaner' look sort a say. The flat tire on the other one is super cute though.
I am NOT Voting as I know who's is who's. BUT I just want the guys to know they are both "Winners" and not because they are both incredibly talented creative wood workers, but because they can look over the fence and call the other "Friend"!!
Fun Times!!
Love Da BFF
Tracy
Wow – how difficult to decide! I was thinking, hmmm see little details that make me think this one must be his but then I can relate Jeff to both barns!
I think #1 b/c I think it has a little bit of you in it too!
Both are awesome and I'll expect to see both in real life next time I'm out for a visit!
Hurry, who's is who's????
well I like them both , but #2 gets my vote I like the cleaner line and love the woodpile and little ax! to darn cute! what fun and it is nice that people that are neighbors can still be friends!!!
They're both great, but I vote for Bird House #1 – Flat Tire Farms! Can't you just imagine bird couples coming to check out the open houses and the chatter from Mrs. to Mr. Bird? "Oh darling, look! Wind Power! I've always wanted air conditioning. And there's a tractor for you to till the earth with so you can get all the worms to the top of the soil! But the other one already had that lovely pile of wood already chopped, ready for the wood oven. It would be so fast to whip up a little Worm Stirfry!"
They are both awesome!!!! I love the stack of firewood — and the little axe. So clever. Since I need to pick — I'll go with #2. They could sell these!!!