Long before I was an interior decorator I loved houses.

It was always so interesting to me to see how they were decorated, how the furniture was arranged and how the owner lived. I have collected small houses for years and have them displayed on a antique post office where I can study them with all of their little details.

And I have been collecting birdhouses for the past few years. I find them to be very sweet and the perfect accessory for almost any style home or outdoor space. I find them at flea markets and I even journeyed to North Carolina where I found a birdhouse builder with acres and acres of these miniature homes. I returned home with a car full.

But as a believer in using what you have whenever possible, and in repurposing when it makes sense, I especially love birdhouses that use local materials that mean something. And as a southwest Florida interior decorator, I am surrounded by beautiful driftwood, shells, treasures that wash up on the beaches and more.

So, when I found a local artist who shares my love for nature, it was a good day. He incorporates sea shells, roots and vines from our local barrier islands, coral from from the Florida Keys, driftwood from the hard-to-reach Mendocino headlands in Northern California, and even rusty tin from the jungles of Haiti. His creations, really designed to be one-of-a-kind interior décor items, are like a unique tapestry woven together with natural ingredients. The result is amazing.

Earthy...whimsical...imaginative...playful. I could stare at them all day.

And if I was a bird, I couldn't possible choose a favorite -- I'd have to move every week!