Ship conversion project

This winter, I bought this cheap birdhouse, shaped like a ship, from the local shop of the big art supply corporation.

It was missing the middle mast and otherwise slightly damaged, and discounted heavily. I tried to give it to my kids, and encouraged them to paint it and see if any birds wanted to live in it. They were not interested in it (the kids, who knows what the birds would have thought), so I turned it into a project of my own.

I swapped out the masts for three taller dowels, and added a forth for the bowsprit mast. I cut down the large railing in the back and used a portion of it for the frame of a quarter deck. I built out the quarter deck with cardboard and some foam board. Then I used bbq skewers and other bits of wood and some foam board scraps to add new (shorter) rails, some extra cannons, and other details. I used clay to create a masthead, an arch above the quarterdeck's door, and to round out some sections. Then I used thread to create the rigging.

I spray-painted the whole thing with my dark brown primer. Now it's ready to paint. 

I added a layer of oil paint, brown with some red details, and black for the bird and cannons.

When it dries in a week or so, I'll do a second paint layer. Then, I'll have to figure out how to add the sails. I'm torn between using a nice piece of thin canvas I found, or just using paper with some watery glue to shape it. We shall see, suggestions welcomed.