Craft Supplies to Make Artificial Birds

Artificial birds are hand-crafted from natural and manufactured items. The birds range from tiny beads to full-size feathered pieces of art crafted for decorative projects. Artificial birds are used for embellishments for floral arrangements, plant pokes, cabinet knobs, jewelry and Christmas decorations. Craft supplies to make artificial birds are found at stores that sell art and craft materials.

Artificial bird bodies are made from an assortment of craft supplies. Woodcarvers create bird shapes from foam or soft wood blocks. Birds are also made from craft foam balls attached together with toothpicks, dowels or wire. Hand-sewn fabric bird bodies crafted from felt, cotton, wool and muslin are stuffed with fiberfill. Wire is inserted into some materials and shaped into bodies and legs. Polymer clay is shaped and sculpted into bird figures and bird-shaped beads.

Plastic movable glue-on eyes and beads are available for foam, cloth and paper artificial bird crafting. Hand molded bird eyes are formed using polymer clay, which comes in small square packets in many colors. Black buttons and 1-to-4-mm round shiny beads are favored for eyes for fabric birds. Acrylic and oil paints add color and depth to sculpted eyes that are painted with fine arts brushes. Miniature beads that are sold in packets are used to insert into polymer clay bird eyes to create pupils.

Real feathers are cleaned, dyed and sold to crafters to use for wings and head tufts on an artificial bird. A wood-burning craft tool and woodcarver knives highlight the feather patterns into a wooden bird. Oil and acrylic paints add color and highlights to a crafted bird project. Fabric birds sport fabric, feather wings or crocheted wings made from crochet cotton. Chenille stems are available to make feathers for natural cone birds.

Colorful glitter, acrylic paint, sequins, embroidery floss and beads are used to hand decorate the bodies of artificial birds. There are so many colors of each of these items to choose from at the craft store. Iridescent glass seed and bugle beads are sold separately or pre-strung to be hand-sewn onto artificial birds to add color to the overall appearance.