Etsy's Handmade Blog
Handmade Portraits: Birdhouseaccents
Story by birdhouseaccents, weirdwolf
Published on June 17, 2009 in This Handmade Life

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(music by Two Dark Birds, animation by JuliaPott)

It took Fred Jakubiec from Birdhouseaccents 25 years before he made building birdhouses his full-time job. It was well worth the wait. After 13 years as Area Supervisor at various fast food establishments, a stint at a steel mill and years of driving for Fed Ex, Fred decided working for other people just wasn't fun anymore.

He and his partner Lynn Patrick regularly took trips to Amish country to go thrifting and flea market shopping. During one visit, Fred discovered primitive style woodworking, and it was then that knew he found his calling. Building birdhouses and decorating them with special recycled accents was the perfect niche for this one time woodworking tinkerer turned birdhouse entrepreneur.

Watch more of our Handmade Video Portraits. Know a seller with a great story? Tell us about them in the comments!

Visit the Woodworking Category | Find "Primitives" on Etsy | More Birdhouses on Etsy

Tags animals, birdhouseaccents, birdhouses, birds, Connecticut, Etsy Pets, folk art, garden, green, Handmade Portraits, home decor, housewares, interview, mens, outdoors, Plants and edibles, primitive, primitives, prims, recycled, rustic, shabby chic, spring, stories, story, tara young, This Handmade Life, THIS HANDMADE LIFE, Two Dark Birds, upcycled, video, woodworking
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76 comments     Login to add your own!

June 17, 2009 at 4:14 p.m. odiliafu

Love your birdhouses!! Really cute!!

June 17, 2009 at 4:16 p.m. ravennagirls

i love these! and so would my mom! hmmmm... i smell a bday gift.

June 17, 2009 at 4:18 p.m. dbabcock

Sweet birdhouses!

June 17, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. TheCottageCheese

Beautiful birdhouses! I'm so happy for Fred that has been able to turn his talent into a full time job. Wonderful!

June 17, 2009 at 4:27 p.m. shavingkitsuppplies

That's the life....taking nature walks looking for supplies and inspiration, and then going to listen to birds at the lake. What a lucky guy!

Also, that's the 3rd couple I've heard of this week that met on eHarmony!

June 17, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. topsyturvydesign

Awesome Video!
What a FABULOUS studio you two have! I adore all the birdhouses on the shelves - it looks like a colorful patchwork quilt! Congrats on finding your true calling!

June 17, 2009 at 4:33 p.m. WinchesterLambourne

Such beautiful works. I would like one too, someday.

June 17, 2009 at 4:34 p.m. bylynnkrestel

hearting! i love this seller!
thanks for showcasing!!

June 17, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. thebestvintage

My gosh I really want one!!

June 17, 2009 at 4:41 p.m. beautifulbridget

Birdhouses make my heart sing!!

June 17, 2009 at 4:42 p.m. BululuStudio

I love birdhouse... they are good for the environment

June 17, 2009 at 4:47 p.m. daniellexo

Love the camper birdhouse!

June 17, 2009 at 4:49 p.m. zime

Nice work! I love birdhouses!!
(^v^)

June 17, 2009 at 5:06 p.m. IrinaPhotography

The birdhouses are so cute!

June 17, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. TheIntuitiveGarden

Fred and Lynn make fantastic bird houses! Excellent work. =)

(My friend Liz would also be a great artist to feature in the Handmade Portraits series! Her studio is inviting and she is very interesting! http://www.madeinlowell.etsy.com)

June 17, 2009 at 5:32 p.m. beachhouseblues

Your work is really fabulous!!

June 17, 2009 at 5:36 p.m. woodandfabric

Wow! Absolutely Beautiful Items In There!

June 17, 2009 at 5:39 p.m. basketsbyrose

Love the bird from rockriverstitch!

June 17, 2009 at 5:54 p.m. satellitedaisy

hooray for birds and birdhouses!

June 17, 2009 at 5:55 p.m. basketsbyrose

I also love the work from firecrackerkid!

June 17, 2009 at 6:37 p.m. BirdAndMoonStudio

Great interview of this artist! Thank you

June 17, 2009 at 6:52 p.m. 4TheSparrowsNest

Fantastic!! I love a rustic birdhouse.

June 17, 2009 at 7:16 p.m. HairandBone

The most amazing story. You are an inspiration to us all. Congrats to the both of you. The birdhouses are beeeautiful!!!!

June 17, 2009 at 7:17 p.m. weirdwolf

I had a fantastic time shooting with Fred & Lynn! What wonderful creations, from the traditional primitives to the brightly colored birdhouses. Just lovely.

June 17, 2009 at 7:32 p.m. merlinsbarkproducts

Love the rocking dog!

June 17, 2009 at 7:48 p.m. firecrackerkid

Wonderful! Birds love a primitive home too! Nice feature. Thanks for including my gameboard:)

June 17, 2009 at 8:14 p.m. emilybidwell

What an inspiration! Thank you weirdwolf for bringing us the story of Birdhouseaccents.

June 17, 2009 at 8:25 p.m. sweetmini

Aww, adorable birdhouses!

June 17, 2009 at 9:08 p.m. walkinthewoodsllc

So wonderful! A great Connecticut artisan making such lovely, lovely work!

June 17, 2009 at 9:37 p.m. SecondHandNews

Love the Birdhouses!

June 17, 2009 at 10:27 p.m. sleepypillow

Such lovely birdhouses!

June 17, 2009 at 11:03 p.m. KOALACaddie

What a great story. Like the saying goes: Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life. I love the Condo Birdhouses! 330 Esty sales - WOW!

June 17, 2009 at 11:06 p.m. KOALACaddie

BIG OOPS! OK - off to the blackboard to write: I must spell Etsy right, 300 times!

June 17, 2009 at 11:13 p.m. bamboobaby

Terrific video! Great work and such a sweet lifestyle.

June 17, 2009 at 11:29 p.m. belovedbaglady

Lovely rustic qualities to his work! Primitive style is what I am all about!

June 18, 2009 at 12:09 a.m. mixeralex

With those sort of qualities you need to be making more people laugh, smile and enjoy themselfs and feel real again.

Get yoursef into the business, though leave others to do their jobs, if it works you don't need to think about it.

Just enjoy it.

June 18, 2009 at 12:24 a.m. 3CountryGirls

Really imaginative, great work! Especially like the Country Farm Shed model.

June 18, 2009 at 12:33 a.m. bobnstitch

love the camper!!!

June 18, 2009 at 1:07 a.m. sucree

i absolutely love birdhouses! these are fantastic, thanks for sharing!

June 18, 2009 at 1:20 a.m. ArtDecoDame

darling birdhouses!

June 18, 2009 at 4:10 a.m. babook

i`m fell in love with all .They are charming look ...
http://www.babook.etsy.com

June 18, 2009 at 6:03 a.m. BlackStar

Great video! I love your work.

June 18, 2009 at 6:09 a.m. ikabags

woow, great, thanks

June 18, 2009 at 6:19 a.m. steinschmuckdesign

I got a Birdhouse,
guess I could get a other One!

June 18, 2009 at 7:14 a.m. SpiritedWoodland

Great video! Such pretty birdhouses... I love the inspiration!

June 18, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. FlanneryCrane

I so enjoyed this video. I love your birdhouses!

June 18, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. prairieharvestarts

Love this collection of fine work.

June 18, 2009 at 8:31 a.m. SimpleTraditions

I LOVE all of them!

June 18, 2009 at 8:37 a.m. mixeralex

My dad would have loved one of these for Sunday fathers day.

Alex

June 18, 2009 at 8:53 a.m. mythunderstood

Always charming!

June 18, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. lovelygifts

Very nice!

June 18, 2009 at 10:01 a.m. SunshineandRavioli

Love all of these birdhouses! And I personally know you can't go wrong with BaconSquareFarm or Amyliz...I own pieces from both of them and they are even better in person!

June 18, 2009 at 10:34 a.m. SweetwaterGifts

Love rustic stuff - makes everything feel homey!

June 18, 2009 at 11:10 a.m. artisticaexpressions

Love these houses. I live in the country and our winged creatures would love them too.

June 18, 2009 at 12:41 p.m. EJPcreations

what lucky birds!

June 18, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. queenkylene

I love the condo birdhouses, especially since I sell birdhouses as well.

June 18, 2009 at 1:07 p.m. slumptown

beautiful birdhouse.

June 18, 2009 at 1:26 p.m. bijougirldesigns

totally cool.

June 18, 2009 at 1:55 p.m. art4milkbones

Very Cool!

& Great to see fellow WNYer featured :)

June 18, 2009 at 2:44 p.m. oldworldprimitives

I really enjoyed this video - nicely done! It was fun to get a closer work at the work of Birdhouseaccents (love it!) and the story behind it. I am always inspired by trips to Amish country too!

June 18, 2009 at 3:03 p.m. wcarolw

I love this intervew!!! Great Inspiration!

June 18, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. klaradar

Sweet birdhouses! I love the inspiration!

June 18, 2009 at 5:04 p.m. capitalcitycrafts

super feature! the video is just great!

June 18, 2009 at 7:13 p.m. lizroca

What a personable and articulate seller! Gorgeous birdhouses.

June 18, 2009 at 8:15 p.m. itselemental

Reminds me of the birdhouses my grandmother used to have in her backyard...your birdhouses are wonderful!

June 19, 2009 at 5:53 a.m. Iammie

So cute!

June 19, 2009 at 10:23 a.m. LillyQueen

What a great story! Nice to see another Connecticut seller.

June 19, 2009 at 10:50 a.m. TheSeed

Those are great!

June 21, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. Turtila

I would put this house
--------------------->
Rustic Upcycled Far...
baconsquarefarm
<---------------------
Thanks!

June 21, 2009 at 6:24 p.m. bigboy101

These birdhouse are great... I have at least 6 from Birdhouse Accents. Nice Job Lynn and Fred

June 23, 2009 at 9:48 p.m. KnitKnit

What a great video - thanks for sharing your story! Very sweet :)

July 21, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. paulanerhus

I need about 50 of these house to fill my bird house hill in my yard. Love the video .........well done!

July 26, 2009 at 3:03 a.m. holdentees

This was lovely! I adore the shed. The story is most amazing. Thanks for the glimpse, it was much enjoyed!

Aug. 11, 2009 at 12:11 a.m. AnnabellsHandmades

I just love the birdhouses.

Aug. 24, 2009 at 11:18 p.m. firecrackerkid

Nice, I love your Primitive Birdhouse Folk Art Camper Motor Home. Birds are livin' in style now! Congratulations on being featured!

Aug. 26, 2009 at 11:58 p.m. rswilsonjewelry

Cool and Different.

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